If you are scrolling through your newsfeed of Facebook on Wednesdays, you’ve probably run into the weekly field trips of Jen Barkan and her featured furry, four-legged companion. Each week, the Rose and Womble New Homes Specialist hosts a social media segment called #AskJenLive that features an available new home in the Hampton Roads or Northeast North Carolina area. To start the field trip, Jen stops at the Norfolk SPCA and picks out an available pup for adoption and proceeds to take the dog on a tour of the featured new construction community.
Jen, who has five rescues of her own, Minnie, Marley, Tito, Gizmo, and Rousey, wanted to marry two causes close to her heart. She wanted to help people find their new construction dream homes while also showing people that there are many dogs locally who also need to find their “furever” homes. A little over a year ago, Jen started touring with a featured dog and now, 52 dogs have been placed with new families.
The campaign has done incredibly well! The builders who are involved in the Ask Jen Program with Rose and Womble New Homes volunteer to pay the adoption fee for the featured pet.
Along with the gratification of introducing people to new homes as a new homes specialist, Jen has had several occasions where she has been greeted by the new adoptive families of the dog that she just featured as she delivered the pup back to the Norfolk SPCA.
The Norfolk SPCA has been ecstatic about the project as well. Each week when Jen picks up the featured dog, she is given the back-story about the dog, a bag with goodies and toys for the pup, and a furry companion for the day! As for the shelter, they get the exposure they so desperately need to help find homes for them all.
Rob Blizard, Executive Director of the Norfolk SPCA states, “Everyone should adopt from a shelter when they acquire a new pet. In the U.S., four to six million animals enter shelters every year and only about half make it out alive. Why buy from a pet store or breeder when so many animals who would make wonderful pets are killed? Plus, when you adopt from a shelter, your animal is already spayed or neutered, vaccinated, microchipped and behavior assessed.”
Here are some details about some of the tours and the pups that have visited the new homes along with us on social media.
Jen and site agent, Bea Cobell at the Viridian Reserve in Chesapeake with Bailey! More details on Bailey and The Claret.
Recent adoptee Roscoe with site agent from 6th Bay at Pretty Lake in Ocean View. More details!
Jen and Braut visiting Stockbridge at Tanglewood in Elizabeth City. Check out the tour.
Mimi ready for her tour at the Harbours at River Bluff in Suffolk.
Jen and Maxwell hit the road to the Residences at Hampton Roads Crossing! Check it out.
If you have any questions about any of the newly constructed homes listed here, please give Jen a call at 757-932-8777. If you are interested in adopting a dog or cat, please visit the Norfolk SPCA for more details.
