On Saturday, June 4, Macon-Bibb County Animal Welfare and partners held its first Happy Tails Adoption Event the shelter. More than 200 people visited that day to see what animals could be adopted and how they could volunteer and support one of the many rescue groups in the region. By the end of the event 14 animals had been adopted and 25 rescued by area groups from Animal Welfare, and 8 more had been adopted from Peach County Animal Rescue.
“Happy Tails was a great success, especially considering it was the first one we’ve hosted,” says Animal Welfare Director Sonja Adams. “We were able to save almost 50 animals and educate hundreds of people about animal safety and care, and how they can support their community rescue groups.”
Throughout the day, people enjoyed free food, drinks, and live music. They were also treated to a variety of fun, animal, and educational activities to choose from, including:
- Lessons from the Emergency Management Agency on preparing your pets for emergencies and severe weather;
- Buying t-shirts as a fundraiser for heartworm testing for dogs and FIV testing for cats;
- Dog training and bite prevention classes;
- Bounce houses, face painting, and an art station for children; and
- Gift card giveaways.
“I want to thank our partners for coming together and helping save the lives of so many animals,” adds Adams. Groups participating this year included Peach County Animal Rescue, Pawsome Southern Rescue, Gentle Giants, All About Animals, Pixel, and Furever After. “We have such a large stray population that only by working together will we be able to find forever homes for these wonderful creatures.”
The cost to adopt from Animal Welfare is $100 for dogs and $60 for cats. There are about 70 animals currently available for adoption (the number changes daily), and people can see which are available by visiting the Animal Welfare Facebook page.