TAVARES — In an effort to help find homes for the cats and dogs now living at the Lake County Animal Shelter, the shelter’s staff and volunteers are hoping that a popular movie franchise will provide some inspiration for the pet-loving public.
Using the theme “May the fur be with you!” the Lake County Animal Shelter is hosting its second annual Star Wars-themed adoption event on Saturday, May 11.
Hosted at the shelter at 28123 County Road 561, Tavares, the shelter is promising a “fun-filled event” that gives families a day for pet adoptions at no cost all day.
At the same time, there will be Star Wars characters on hand from 11 a.m. to 2:30 pm., including special guests from the 501st Makaze Squad who will also be available for photos with the guests.
“Everyone had a blast at our Star Wars event last year, and we are thrilled to have the 501st join us again to promote pet adoption,” said the shelter’s director, Whitney Boylston.
What’s New at the Lake County Animal Shelter?
In January, Lake County’s new, modernized animal shelter broke ground on a larger and far more high tech shelter than the one hosting stray animals today.
The Lake County Animal Shelter is building this new shelter to have the space needed to temporarily house hundreds of dogs, cats and other pets as they wait for adoption, and the building will double the size of the current building to 31,000 square feet.
The current shelter was built in 1994, but that 13,000 square foot facility is considered too small and has frequently struggled with overcrowding issues, while also suffering from faulty air conditioning problems.
In response, last year the Lake County Commission voted to approve the construction of a new animal shelter, financed by a one-cent sales tax that voters reauthorized in 2015. The commission also made the need for a new shelter more urgent by adopting a no-kill policy for Lake County, meaning animals are only to be euthanized if they’re too sick or too aggressive to be adopted.
Instead, the county has pushed for a strong adoption program to find homes for stray cats and dogs, and the shelter has responded with special adoption programs throughout the year, including the May The Fur Be With You Event.
Officials at the animal shelter say the no-kill policy has been working, and the county has placed more than 3,700 pets in recent years. But the shelter remains full and employees continue hosting events like May The Fur May Be With You.
Conclusion
The public is invited to stop by the shelter on May 11 to join the Animal Shelter’s staff and volunteers for this special Star Wars themed adoption event.
To find out more about the Lake County Animal Shelter, or to adopt or volunteer, stop by the shelter at 28123 County Road 561, Tavares, call 352-343-9688 or visit their website.
To get more up-to-date information and photos of adoptable animals, follow the shelter on Facebook and Twitter.
Michael Freeman is an Orlando journalist, playwright and author of the book “Of Cats And Wolves.” Contact him at Freelineorlando@gmail.com.
