Mark your calendar for Sat., Jan. 24, if you've been sizing up your lifestyle to consider adopting a shelter animal.

That's Change A Pet's Life Day, a national effort to find homes for 3,000 animals from 300 participating shelters -- including three local ones -- in a single 24 hours.

To start off its program with a bang, Hill's Pet Nutrition of Topeka, Kansas, plans to pay the first 10 adoption fees at each shelter, a value of $25 to $300 depending on the pet.

For the rest Hill's plans to provide free pet food, a free training/information DVD, and free access to a hotline offering advice to first-time pet owners.

According to the official Web site, here are your local participating shelters:

Lake Humane Society
7564 Tyler Blvd. Ste. E., Mentor
(440) 951-6122
Open noon to 5 p.m.

Euclid Animal Shelter
25100 Lakeland Blvd., Euclid
(216) 289-2710
Open noon to 4 p.m.

Cleveland Animal Protective League
1729 Willey Ave., Cleveland
(216) 771-4616
Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Eight million potential pets enter shelters each year, according to Janet Donlin, chief of Veterinary Business Channel at Hill's. Donlin predicts the lousy economy will cause a drop in adoptions this year, as well as a spike in homeless animals.

Don't impulse buy, but if you're up for the challenge how's next weekend for rescuing your new companion?

-- Sandra M. Klepach