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The shelter is full, yet the calls come in every day asking Promoting Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) to take in more dogs or cats.
“People just would not believe how bad the problem of stray and unwanted animals is,” PAWS Director Dorothy Farmer said in a media release. “There is a particularly bad crisis with feral cats, and those cats are very difficult to catch and almost impossible to adopt because they are so wild.”
A no-kill animal haven and adoption facility, PAWS is counting on proceeds from its annual Animal Fest to help support the non-profit group continues to maintain its facility, pay the medical bills for the animals in its shelter and make payroll for its employees who clean the kennels. Farmer has never drawn a salary or paycheck for all of her work at PAWS.
Animal Fest is set for 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at Honors Heights Park pavilion.
Organizers are hoping for a good turnout to raise money for PAWS, which is run entirely on memberships, donations and proceeds from grooming and boarding pets. PAWS recently celebrated its 20th year serving the Muskogee area.
“We could really use a lot of help because with the sagging economy, it is harder and harder for non-profits to stay afloat,” Farmer said.
The festival, to which animals are invited along with their owners, will include live entertainment, concessions, a bake sale and animal merchandise for sale. PAWS t-shirts will also be available for sale.
Animal contests will be judged by guest judges. Contests begin after noon, running approximately two each hour. Contests include: cutest pet, best tail wag, best dressed, most unusual.
PETCO will be on hand with giveaways.
Raffle tickets are available for purchase for $10 before and during Animal Fest. Prizes include a 14 carat gold pendant and chain with pearls and diamonds valued at $250, items donated by area merchants and meal gift certificates from Applebees, IHOP, Buffalo Wild Wings, Chilangos, Speedway Grill and Cowboys. A child’s bicycle donated by K-Mart and an overnight stay for two and dinner at the Whitlock Wishhouse are also prizes to be awarded in the raffle.
If you go
WHAT: PAWS Animal Fest.
WHEN: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.
WHERE: Honor Heights Park pavilion.
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