More than 300 animals will be up for adoption on Oct. 14 and Oct. 15 as Rescue Magazine presents its eighth annual Pet Adoption Extravaganza at the Cadence Bank Center, formerly known as the Bell County Expo.
The event will run 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days, and admission is $10 for adults and $5 for kids 6 and up.
While dogs and cats make up the majority of the animals for adoption, there are others as well. Horses, ferrets, donkeys, reptiles and exotic animals such as a kinkajou will also be available, said Ron Ducharme, event organizer and publisher of Temple-based Rescue Magazine.
“Last year, we adopted out a bearded dragon,” he said. “We will have about 40 adoption agencies represented and about 100 vendors. We’re expecting more than 10,000 visitors.”
“We will have adult horseback rides, pony rides for the kids, military and game warden working dogs, a dog trick team, a Texas Parks & Wildlife educational trailer, cosplayers and more,” he said. “One of the Transformers, Bumblebee, also will be there, and Fort Cavazos will have a Bradley Fighting Vehicle on Saturday.”
“This is like a pet expo, a home improvement show and a comic con all rolled into one,” Ducharme added. “We definitely will have a little bit of everything.”
“Dozens of rescue groups and animal shelters from Temple, Bell County, Killeen, Salado, Harker Heights, Copperas Cove and throughout the region will be bringing a variety of dogs and cats, all ready to go home with a new family.”
“We are trying to attract as many people to the Expo Center as possible so we can get these animals adopted,” Ducharme said. “We will have all kinds of dogs and cats — there will be lots of variety and choices.”
Ducharme started Rescue Magazine after learning first hand how shelters struggle to keep animals alive. A Rottweiler named Leo was going to be put down because his shelter didn’t have money to feed all of its animals.
“They only have so much money,” Ducharme said. “They need food, supplies and an ongoing resource for public awareness.”
Rescue Magazine started as a single-page flier in 2012. It has grown to 74 pages and features more than 800 animals in need from 70 shelters and rescue groups. (Check out their web page at rescuemagazine.org)
“We are more than a magazine,” he said. “We raise thousands of dollars in food and supplies to help shelters throughout Central Texas. The Bell County Animal Shelter recently announced that they now vaccinate up to 107 animals a month with the extra money we helped put in their budget.”
Now that’s something to wag about!