Posted: June 19, 2009, 3 a.m. EDT
More than 40 pet rescue groups brought around 700 homeless cats, dogs and rabbits to the third annual Orange County, Calif., Super Pet Adoption event earlier this month. Approximately 5,000 people attended the event and adopted 315 pets. Forty-two cats and 22 dogs were adopted from the Irvine Animal Care Center (IACC), the event’s host and location.
“We were very happy with the overall success,” said Ron R. Edwards, IACC’s animal care administrator.
The event also was Purina Pro Plan’s third stop in its Rally Across America campaign to raise nationwide awareness about pet adoption and reach its goal of finding homes for 300,000 homeless cats and dogs by the end of the year.
The next stops are: July 25 in Tempe, Ariz.; Aug. 2 in Mission Bay, Calif.; Aug. 15 in Cranbury, N.J.; Sept. 25 in Whitmore Lake, Mich.; and Oct. 24 in St. Charles, Mo. The first two stops were in Bethesda, Md., and Denton, Texas. Visit the Rally to Rescue website for details about an adoption event in your area.
“We have been very successful and we hope everyone comes out next year to join our campaign and help rescue a pet,” said Melissa Heeter, head dog trainer for the Rally Across America tour.
At the event, IACC volunteer Mary Evans shared ways to get involved in fostering puppies and kittens and expressed how rewarding it is. Nineteen kittens from one rescue group she worked with were adopted out at this year’s Super Pet Adoption event.