Adoptapalooza and an Important Fact about Homeless Pets

Yesterday there was a pet adoption event in Union Square that was sponsored by the Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals. I was commenting on Facebook about all the animals who need homes and I learned an astounding statistic.

Apparently it’s not so true that there are more available animals than homes/adopters. 17 million people plan to get a pet in the next year, according to this short video from the Humane Society. It’s more a matter of spreading the word to potential adopters to adopt a shelter animal vs a puppymill pet. I knew this was true, but I didn’t know how true. Kill shelters could become a thing of the past by shifting attention to shelter adoption AND outlawing puppymills and shutting down the stores that use them.

Of course I took a few pictures at the adoption event. First, pitbulls have to be one of the most photogenic animals on the face of the earth. You can’t take a bad picture of them. They all have such impossibly sweet eyes and expressions. Who can resist this face??

Adoptapalooza, Union Square, New York Cit

I wanted very very badly to adopt this girl. But I’ve already made Finney’s life miserable with Bleecker. I can’t introduce a dog. But I think when Finney has “moved on” I might give a dog a try. Bleecker might like a dog. Does anyone have opinions about this? Would a cat miss having another cat around? Would a dog miss having a dog? Or would a one cat/one dog household work?

Adoptapalooza, Union Square, New York City

It’s a baby pigeon! This was at the booth for the Wild Bird Fund, a wonderful organization who nursed the sick pigeon I brought them a year or two ago. They were in the process of feeding this little guy when I took this shot.

Adoptapalooza, Union Square, New York Cit

I was shocked to see our police commissioner William Bratton there. I’m kicking myself for not introducing myself. He wouldn’t remember of course, but I interviewed him for my book about the NYPD’s Cold Case Squad. Why didn’t I go up to him? What is wrong with me?? I’ll be hating myself for weeks about this.

Anyway, enough about self-loathing me. That is Sergeant Barbara Thomas to Bratton’s right. She is the Commanding Officer of the NYPD’s Animal Cruelty Investigation Squad. She was there with Det. Roman (not pictured). We love her and her squad!

William Bratton at Adoptapalooza, Union Square, New York Cit

Stacy Horn

I've written six non-fiction books, the most recent is Damnation Island: Poor, Sick, Mad, and Criminal in 19th-Century New York.

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