| Local community works together to find homes for animals in need |
By Candice Lee
Last Saturday at Schabarum Park, local animal shelters gather together to organize an adoption event allowing families to adopt a pet of their choice. Dogs that were rescued or abandoned in shelters are brought to those events seeking for a safe, long-lasting home.
Shelley Foglesong volunteers every weekend with Friends of Upland Animal Shelter. Foglesong said that by doing pet adoption events people are able to “see how awesome some of these animals are [and hopefully adopt one].”
According to a California law, starting this year, animal stores in the state are only allowed to sell dogs, cats and rabbits obtained from shelters. Stores must tell the buyers the agency where the animal was from, no breeders are allowed.
“If you look at every shelter, almost [all of them are] practically overflowing [with animals],” Foglesong said. “A lot of perfectly adoptable animals are euthanized for space.”
Each year, thousands of animals around the world are rescued, sent to shelters and brought to adoption events hoping to find a family that will love them with care.
Destiney Puebla is a volunteer from Pet Rescue Solutions as she help provides information and answer questions people have regarding the animals.
“There are so many animals in need and need to be adopted, especially in the pound where they might [get put to sleep],” Puebla said.
Events like this help give the community an overview of the animals that were available for adoption.
“A lot of people never ever visit [a shelter], so they just think there’s something wrong with shelter animals,” Foglesong said. “It’s not the animals’ fault that they ended up there, it’s the people’s fault.”
During these events, organizations also offer animal health care, donation opportunity and allow dogs to get microchips.
“I really like these type of events because it brings everyone together and the more they ask questions about dogs, the more they realize that they do need a home,” Puebla said. “It will make them want to adopt more or foster more.”
Animal associations and shelters seek to promote pet adoptions rather than the purchasing of one. Shelter Animals have feelings too and they should have the right to live in a happy family with people that will take care of them with love.
