This is paws for celebration.
The ASPCA is celebrating the 150th anniversary of its founding with a “paws parade” starting in Madison Square Park and an “Adoptapalooza” showcasing adoptable animals in Union Square on Sunday.
The Paws Parade, which starts at 11 a.m. at 26th Street and Fifth Avenue, will feature as Grand Marshall Broadway star Bernadette Peters, and will include four-legged and human participants from the ASPCA, the Alliance for NYC’s Animals, the NYPD, Animal Care Centers of NY and the FDNY.
Charlotte, a Maltese Shih Tzu who made headlines in 2014 in Staten Island after recovering from injuries sustained when her owner threw her out a car window, will join the parade as a special guest alongside Marnie the Dog, an Instagram-famous Shih Tzu known for her lolling tongue and glassy eyes.
The parade will end in Union Square’s North Plaza, where at 12 p.m. more than 300 puppies, kittens, dogs, and bunnies in need of a home will be on hand to melt hearts and test the will of those who plan on just showing up to look at them.
A dog trainer will be on hand to preach training tips, and canine visitors will be able to test their abilities on a dog training field, while the Department of Health will be doing onsite licensing for new dog owners. Attendees will also be able to get free pet photos and pet ID tags, and for those looking to give back, Rock & Rawhide will be accepting donations of linens and pet toys for shelter animals.
Across the East River, ASPCA will be holding another Adoptapalooza at House of Vans, located at 25 Franklin St. between Meserole and Quay streets in Greenpoint, where Marnie the (busy) Dog will make another appearance.
