SPCA says it hit 3-day record for adoptions

BATON ROUGE ­— The SPCA of Livingston exceeded its adoption goal by finding permanent homes for 59 cats and dogs Saturday during the biggest national pet adoption day in which the SPCA of Livingston has ever taken part.

The event, held at PetSmart on Millerville Road, brought people from throughout the area to find a pet.

“That’s more than we’ve ever done before,” SPCA of Livingston co-director Jennie Vancel said. “We beat our record of 50 for a three-day event.”

The event was held with other agencies as part of PetSmart’s National Adoption Weekend.

More than 100 pets, including cats, dogs and rabbits, found permanent homes, Vancel said.

Vancel said the organization received animals during Hurricane Isaac that it needed to place.

“We had quite a few because of the storm,” Vancel said. “On average, we have about 40 to 60 animals.”

Some of Saturday’s adoptable pets were abandoned during Isaac while others were surrendered by their owners, either because they couldn’t afford to take care of the pets or because the owners were sick.

“It gets tough on someone sick with cancer,” Vancel said. “It does become overwhelming.”

The SPCA of Livingston is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to raise awareness of the plight of animals in southeastern Louisiana, to teach and foster good pet parenting practices and to promote spay and neuter programs, its website states.

The SPCA of Livingston takes in owner-surrendered animals and animals from kill shelters within Livingston and the immediate surrounding parishes by direct request of shelter directors as space permits, organizers said.

For that reason, they are always looking for volunteers.

“Right now, we are looking for foster homes so that we can pull more animals from kill shelters,” Vancel said.

The SPCA of Livingston has 16 pets ready to be adopted, but it also has several litters of puppies and dogs that aren’t ready to be adopted, Vancel said.

Vancel said the SPCA has cats and a few dogs that have been with their foster homes for some time.

“We’d like to find a forever home for them,” she said.

To help raise money to take care of the pets it receives, the SPCA of Livingston will host the fourth annual Bow Wow Ween Canine Costume Contest. The event will be from 10 a.m. to noon Oct. 6 at Train Station Park during the Denham Springs Fall Festival.

Prizes for first, second and third place in each category will be awarded, organizers said. Categories are Glitz and Glamour, Pet Parent Duo and Crowd Favorite.

For information and pictures of adoptable pets, visit http://www.livingstonspca.com/adoptions.html. Vancel said the organization has a great Dane Catahoula mix; a hound pointer mix; a few adult rat terriers; and an adult Shih Tzu.

For information, call (225) 275-4858 or the SPCA of Livingston at (225) 788-6940.