Jenna Bordelon
MEDIA DISTRICT NORTH -- Wearing and bright kerchiefs what could be
taken for hopeful smiles, the dogs at the Burbank Animal Shelter waited
for a friendly pat, a smile or a soothing voice to signal they may have
found a home.
On Saturday, at the very first Burbank Shelter Animal Fair, 11 lucky
cats and dogs did.
A Chihuahua, an American Bulldog, two Lhasa Apsos and several others,
including four cats, left the shelter for a new life in a loving home.
Many others are still waiting.
"Normally on a given day, we might place three or four," shelter
superintendent Fred DeLange said. "We do our darndest to encourage people
to adopt them."
"I hope that (the fair) brings to the public's attention that we have
an animal shelter here and the need for spaying and neutering to cut down
on the population," he said.
Families came to the shelter from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. to eat hot dogs
(not the dachshund variety), meet the crime dog McGruff and take tours of
the shelter.
"The goal was to get the public here and let them be introduced to the
shelter," Diane Good, president of the shelter volunteer group, said, "so
they can see how nice it is and where their tax money is going."
There were raffles held throughout the day. Prizes were provided by
local businesses such as Bob's Big Boy and Burbank Bar and Grill.
Between $900 and $1000 was raised for an animal transportation van,
DeLange said. Good said she hoped awareness would be raised as well.
"We would really like to get more volunteers," Good said. "We really
need them during the week to walk and feed the dogs."
The shelter is known for their clean cages, heated floors and frosty
misters that keep the creatures cool.
Officials attribute a low euthanasia rate -- around 25% to 30% -- to
the hard work of volunteers and the rule that the shelter only accepts
animals from Burbank.
Julian Karner, 3, found a soul mate Saturday. A fat orange tomcat the
Karner's named Filbert, squeezed into the family's kitty carrier.
"We wanted an older cat," Julian's father, Brent Karner, said.
"Everybody wants kittens and I think that's mean."
On Monday, DeLange was happy to report that two more animals had been
adopted that morning due to the fair.
At the shelter though, the work is never done.
Over the weekend, someone dropped six puppies off in the middle of the
night, DeLange said.
