A dog days of summer fundraising event will be held from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday to benefit the Animal Welfare Alliance.
AWA is a non-profit organization with a no killer animal shelter located at 1904 S Westwood Blvd.
The benefit will be held at 333 S. Westwood Blvd., the location of Whitworth’s Gift Chest Jewelers.
“A portion of the sales proceeds will go to the AWA. They’re going to have a drawing for a free necklace,” Corretta Bishop of AWA said.
MJ’S Family BBQ, LLC will have it’s food truck onsite and Whitworth’s will donate a portion of their proceeds to AWA as well, Bishop said.
Because of the high temperatures only a few of the dogs seeking forever homes will be able to attend, Bishop said. The remaining dogs and cats currently at the shelter may be viewed in a book of photographs. The event also will offer onsite pet adoption opportunities.
Tickets for the 50/50 raffle are $1 each or six for $5 and “we’ll have tote bags and T-shirts for sale,” Bishop said.
Advance raffle tickets may be purchased at the AWA shelter from 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. The shelter is open Monday-Friday.
Bishop talked about programs and opportunities provided by the shelter.
AWA offers spay and neuter vouchers, Bishop said. The shelter fosters animals for people who are living at Haven House, Recycling Grace and John J. Pershing VA Medical Center.
“If anybody goes into treatment or has gone to the hospital, we will foster their animal free of charge,” Bishop said.
“All of our dogs are micro chipped and all of our animals are up-to-date on vaccines, including rabies,” she said. “They are all spayed and neutered. We do not adopt any animals without being spayed or neutered.”
AWA has a foster to adopt program, Bishop explained.
“If you are interested in a dog and you’re not sure if it’s going to workout with your other pets, you can take the dog home,” she said. “Foster it to see how the environment works for you and the dog or cat, any animal actually. You can foster to see how it works out with them. If it works, you’re more than welcome to come in and adopt. That helps to avoid the return rate. You know what you’re getting before you get it.”
Bishop also talked about the capital campaign going on, to try to pay the building off quickly.
“We have a thermometer sign up in front of our building that shows how much we’ve already gotten towards the capital campaign,” she said.