Adopt Love, Adopt Local is an initiative that Tucsonans are going to start noticing in the coming weeks and months. It’s part of a community-wide effort to encourage people to adopt, instead of buy, their next dog or cat — or horse, pig or reptile.
More than 30,000 pets enter Tucson-area shelters each year. The Pima Alliance for Animal Welfare (PAAW), an initiative of the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona, is working to find homes for more of them by connecting adopters with a collaboration of local shelters and rescues.
Adopt Love, Adopt Local kicks off Saturday with a mega adoption animal fair at the Tucson Expo Center. Thousands of people are expected to attend what organizers hope becomes an annual event — with at least a couple hundred animals finding loving, forever homes.
Admission is free, with dozens of local animal rescue groups taking part, along with petcentric vendors, entertainment and demonstrations.
It will be an excellent time to adopt, said Barbara Brown, the foundation’s vice president of program services and community initiatives.
Every adoptable animal will have been spayed or neutered. Adoption fees will vary by rescue organization.
“You can talk to people who work with the animal so they can really help you determine if this is the best animal for you and your lifestyle, which is really neat,” Brown said.
There will also be trainers, veterinarians and breed experts on hand to answer questions, she said.
To up the fun, there will be gift baskets for the first cat and dog adopted (along with other adoption milestones), along with goodie bags to support the animal’s care. St. Mark’s Animal Ministry Team will also be on hand to bless the animals.
Because of noise and space constraints, organizers ask that potential adopters not bring their own animals to the Expo Center to meet a prospective new family member. Instead, they can speak with the animal’s rescue group to arrange a meet-and-greet sometime after the event.
Even animal lovers not looking to adopt will find a lot to do and watch, Brown said, citing demonstrations that will include herding, police work and canine dancing. The event will close with the wedding of two adoptable greyhounds.
The idea is to show people how much animals add to their lives, and that there are really a lot of animals out there with a lot to offer, she said.
Kristen Nelson, a Scottsdale-based veterinarian who has written two books, will speak and later answer questions in an “Ask the Expert” booth. A Summit Hut rep will also field questions on how to safely take your dog hiking and pet-friendly places to explore.
Other highlights include dog photographer Ted Hewitt, who volunteers at Pima Animal Care Center, offering suggestions on how to best capture your pet’s personality.
The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum will be on hand to talk about tortoise adoption, and folks from the Saguaro National Monument will talk about native critters.
Best Friends Animal Society will have a booth to talk about the Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) program in Pima County.
While volunteers have been spreading the word about the adoption fair in all corners of Pima County, Brown said there is already an increased awareness about the importance of helping the community’s homeless animals. Last fall, voters’ handily approved a $22 million bond to build a larger and more modern animal shelter as the county moves toward an adoption-friendly, no-kill approach.
The Humane Society of Southern Arizona is also in the midst of a $10 million capital campaign to build and move to a larger facility, she noted.
Brown knows as well as anyone the benefits that come from opening your home to an animal in need — her household includes rescued dogs, along with a couple of rescued cats, tortoises and box turtles. “They’re living a really great life,” she said with a smile.
