Jessica Reiss always has had a soft spot for special needs animals, and when she spotted a one-eyed cat laying in a cage waiting to be adopted on Sunday afternoon, it was love at first sight.
“This will be our first special needs animal,” the veterinary medicine graduate student said with a big smile, adding she plans to name her new pet Peek-a-Boo.
Reiss was one of many who found a new addition to the family at Ingham County Animal Control and Shelter’s annual Adopt-A-Fest in Ranney Park in Lansing.
Director of Ingham County Animal Control and Shelter Jamie McAloon-Lampman said the goal of the event was not only to have as many animals adopted as possible, but to bring awareness to the community about the number of animals that need homes.
“Even if these 100 animals are adopted, we’re probably going to have another 100 animals available by Wednesday,” she said. “That’s how fast our shelter fills up.”
The 30-hour event ran Saturday from 10 a.m. to midnight and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and a number of volunteers, including inmates from the Ingham County Jail, worked to assist pet lovers with more information about the animals at the events.
“The thing about animals is they touch across so many lines,” McAloon-Lampman said, explaining the variety of volunteers at the event.
Adopt-A-Fest offered other attractions, such as a drive-in movie on Saturday, a canine competition on Sunday and a venue to purchase Ingham County animal licenses and vaccinate pets.
Dressed in a navy Adopt-A-Fest T-shirt, social work senior Ashley Gonsler took Unity, a white pit bull stray available for adoption, for a walk to get some exercise.
Despite a non-animal-related major, Gonsler said she has spent much time volunteering at the Ingham County Animal Control and Shelter working with the animals.
“I’ve always been an animal person,” she said, rubbing the dog’s ears.
Gonsler said she felt Adopt-A-Fest was a great way to get exposure for the friendly animals at the shelter waiting to join families and she was happy to be a part of the solution to finding them good homes.
McAloon-Lampman said allowing families to meet and play with the animals before adopting them was key to creating bonds between the animals and the humans walking through the adoption tents.
“It’s hard to not look at them,” she said. “It’s in your face with the animals that are homeless in the community.”
Support student media! Please consider donating to The State News and help fund the future of journalism.
