EVERETT — What goes better with a home than a pet.
Just make sure to call mom first.
New this year to the Everett Fall Home Show and the Gift &Food Show is the presence of the Everett Animal Shelter, which is teaming up with the home show to facilitate adoptions, sign up volunteers and raise awareness.
“We felt this was a great opportunity to get out into the community and tell people about what we do,” said Dee Cordell, the shelter’s operations coordinator. “That and see if we can get a few of these animals adopted.”
Cordell, along with shelter volunteers Billie Foote and Lynne Hollister, spent Friday afternoon chatting with curious pet lovers who wandered around cages housing pets or leafed through the packets of information about the shelter. A pair of 2-month-old black shepherd-labrador mix pups wrestled on the floor, under the gaze of three small kittens from a cage on the table above.
“Homes and pets just kind of go together,” said Linda Tessem, who was at the show promoting Thrive Life Freeze Dried Foods.
A little over an hour after the home show began, Cordell helped Hannah Patten, a student teacher at Marysville Pilchuck High School, adopt two of the kittens on display. Patten, who heard about the shelter being at the home show on Facebook, came with the intention of taking home at least one of the little critters. Cordell made Patten, who lives with her mother in Lake Stevens, phone home to make sure it was OK.
“I think it’s great that they really care for the safety of the animals,” Patten said of the shelter, which is running a $25 special on adult cats during the home show. “They run background checks and make sure they’re going to a good home.”
The idea to have the shelter be part of the home show came from fall home show event producer Bill Bradley.
“I’m an animal lover, so it’s a personal thing for me to find some homes for pets. I want to get pets connected to good owners and this is a great venue to do it,” he said.
“I’m a sucker for that. I hope I don’t end up going home with some.”
If he does, he can walk downstairs and get some tips at the booth for Got Sit? Dog Training.
Home show continues
The Everett Fall Home Show and the Gift &Food Show is at Xfinity Arena and continues Saturday and Sunday. For more information, go to www.everetthomegardenshow.com. The Everett Animal Shelter is located at 333 Smith Island Road. For more information on volunteering or adoption, visit www.ci.everett.wa.us.
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