DogtoberFEST 2021: What to expect

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According to Carla Mader, publisher at PetConnections Magazine, the publication is thrilled to be supporting this year’s inaugural DogtoberFEST—a one-day “adoptathon” to raise awareness about adoption in the community hosted by the Coalition to Adopt, Rehome, and Match Abandoned Animals (CARMAA). In a recent interview with dvm360^®, Mader highlighted a few things to expect at the 2021 pooch-filled event including a few cash prizes.

The event will be featuring a plethora of local rescues including the Humane Animal Rescue, Two Ladies Four Paws, Biggies Bullies, The Boston Terrier Rescue, and more. Mader noted that an impressive “50 to 60 rescue groups typically participate at DogtoberFEST.“

Mader also stated that although a few pets will be on-site, the organizations typically have collages of adoptable pets or a tablet displaying their website with adoptable pets for people to browse.

“During the event, we are not allowed to adopt out pets on site, so people can talk to the shelters, or the rescues and they might even have adoptable pets there that people can meet, but it’s actually against the law to sell pets or to adopt them out at an event like that,” she said.

“[The people] would have to then go back to the shelter and finish the adoption—they can fill out applications and meet the pet, but they wouldn't physically be able to take them home that day…so I shouldn’t say it’s an adoption event, it's like an adoption awareness [event],” added Mader.

What’s the most famous aspect of DogtoberFEST? If you ask Mader, it’s the pet costume contest they have. “We offer $600 in cash prizes, so everyone likes to dress up their pet and we have judges, and we do a little parade around the event where everyone just lines up and does a little walkthrough and the judges watch that. And we get some pretty interesting costumes.”

A few additional highlights Mader noted include a spay and neuter van, a grooming van, plus there will be engaging events for kids such as finger painting, paw painting, and more.

“We're going to have concessions and hopefully we'll be able to get a bake sale going and our little activity ring too—we do training and demonstrations [such as those] on note nose work, which is highlighting a dog's ability to track a scent,” she explained.

DogtoberFEST will take place on Saturday, October 2, 2021, at the Waterfront in Homestead, Pennsylvania with a rain date of Sunday, October 3, 2021.

For more information, about DogtoberFEST, go here.