UNION SQUARE PARK — Fur coats might be all the rage on the catwalk this week, but nowhere will they be as rewarding as in Union Square, where the city's biggest on-the-spot adoption event returns Sunday.
More than 300 darling dogs, cute cats, and bouncing bunnies from nearly 40 different New York shelters will be up for adoption at this year's Adoptapalooza, which will be taking place from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. on the north side of the park.
Sponsored by the Mayor's Alliance for NYC's Animals, the adoption event encourages people wanting a new furry friend to come and adopt, and also provides easy to access information for new owners and puppy-training sessions with co-sponsor Petco.
Adoptive families can choose from tiny Pekinese puppies to wisened mature cats in need of some TLC. The pets are all spayed or neutered, microchipped, vaccinated, and ready to be taken into a good home.
Four of the dogs that will be looking for a loving owner at tomorrow's event were among the dozens rescued from a housefire in Clifton, Staten Island on August 23. The fire tore through their owners' house, where 68 dogs, including shih tzus, Malteses, Pomeranians, and Pekinese had been living in cramped conditions. The other dogs were either adopted or placed with other adoption agencies, a spokesperson from Animal Care and Control said.
Affordable microchipping services, at $25, will also be offered for existing cat and dog owners, thanks to a special emergency preparedness clinic offered by the Office of Emergency Management and Ready New York.
The clinic will also be on hand registering new owners for dog licenses, which is required by law by the NYC Department of Health, and giving out free pet passports and ID tags.
There will also be information tents with information on how to care for a new pet and deal with the unexpected.
People bringing their own pets to the event will be able to sample pet food giveaways and taste-test new treats. There is also a free Kids Korner, with face painting, temporary tattoos, balloon scultpure, and caricature portraits.
Animal welfare charity Rock and Rawhide will be on hand to collect any donations to shelters, whether it be blankets or treats for other rescue dogs, cats, and rabbits.
There will also be live music, a raffle, and pet agility and training demonstrations to keep all visitors entertained, whether they are two-legged or four.
More information on the cats, dogs and bunnies attending the event can be found at the Animal Alliance for New York's website.
