animal rescue groups

Fun, food, education will be on tap at 5th Annual Pookie’s RescueFest
Cats, Dogs — posted by gail smith on January, 21 2013 11:49 PM

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Animal-rescue groups will have a great venue for fundraising and adoption this Saturday, Jan. 26, at the 5th Annual Pookie’s RescueFest, presented by The Urban Pet Project.  The event is at Maitland’s Lake Lily Park from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. There will be free community education, meet-and-greets with canine and feline rescues, plus food trucks, music and entertainment for adults and children. 
Net fundraising proceeds from raffled gift baskets and grab bags and donations are distributed equally to the participating rescue groups. Pookie’s RescueFest raised more than $12,000 in 2012, which provided the groups with much-needed funds for their operations.
In addition, various non-pet and pet services, including pet trainers, sitters, communicators, boarding and veterinary services, will be on site to provide information.  Natural food and supplement companies’ representatives will also be available to share educational information on pet nutrition, and several will raffle off a free year of dog and/or cat food. 
Homes looking for new family members are in luck as well, said RescueFest co-founder Marcia Sundberg.  The rescues provide onsite applications to ease the process of scheduling a home visit and completing the adoption process. 
“Animals being abandoned and/or turned in to local shelters continue to be at alarming numbers due to economic conditions and other causes.  This event seeks to increase awareness and impart principles of responsible pet ownership including spay/neutering.  Last year’s event featured 36 breed-specific and other local rescue groups and resulted in over 65 dogs and cats getting forever homes. Activities include free educational seminars, Kids Zone and playground area, live musical entertainment and a food truck court.  A fun-filled day for the whole family!” she said.
The event continues to see increasing success each year, having exposed over 5,000 attendees to the message of animal rescue since its 2007 inception.
Community sponsors include Ranger’s Pet Outpost & Retreat, Lake Howell Animal Clinic, gecko CPA Firm, Earthborn Pet Food, Orlando Weekly, Pookie’s Pet Nutrition, Urban Pet Magazine and Center for Animal Therapies. Sponsorship opportunities are still available.