All proceeds from the Friends of the Burlington County Animal Shelter’s Paw Prints PetFest & 5K go towards funding medical care, foster support and other lifesaving programs.
The Friends of the Burlington County Animal Shelter (FOBCAS) held its eighth annual Paw Prints PetFest & 5K at Smithville Park in Eastampton on Oct. 6. All proceeds go directly to funding medical care, training, foster support, TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return) and other important lifesaving programs.
“We have something for everyone,” said Ann Rapisarda, vice president of the FOBCAS, of the event.
Petfest activities include a dog agility course, a kids zone, food trucks, a basket raffle tent, live music by GoodMan Fiske Duo, a photo zone, Tito’s Vodka beverage and beer garden, a pet costume contest, 50-plus vendors, the Big Dog 50/50 drawing, dog adoptions, cat adoptions and more.
“There’s lots of shopping, lots of eating, lots of fun, lots of animals, and it’s all for a good cause to save the homeless animals in Burlington County,” Rapisarda said.
The FOBCAS is a nonprofit that cooperates with the county animal shelter to care for shelter pets and place them into adoptive homes, according to their website. The organization also works to reduce the number of homeless pets in the community by sponsoring low-cost spay-neuter surgeries.
The mission of the FOBCAS is to save the lives of homeless animals and promote their adoption by working with the county shelter and community to reach the Friends’ no-kill vision by 2025.
“We do as much as we can by partnering with the (county animal) shelter to help save more animals,” Rapisarda said.
The mission of the FOBCAS is to save the lives of homeless animals and promote their adoption by working with the county shelter and community to reach the Friends’ no-kill vision by 2025. The FOCBAS provides resources including emergency foster services, lost pet tips, dog adoption resources, cat adoption resources and help with surrendering and rehoming pet(s), among others.
“We see so many times, (we’re) not just helping the pet, we’re also helping the human that owns them because they don’t want to give up their pet,” Rapisarda said, “or they’re at their wit’s end because they can’t afford something for the moment and we can step in and help… Whatever we can do to help we will try, for sure.”
There are different ways that you can help the FOBCAS, such as becoming a volunteer. Opportunities for that include dog walking, cat cuddling, online posting, photography and videography and grooming. For more information, visit www.friendsofbcas.org. If interested in more information about the county animal shelter, visit www.co.burlington.nj.us/168/Animal-Shelter.
