Promoting pet joys

WILKES-BARRE -- Oh, you're going to make a good dog for somebody, said Terri Loeffler of Plains Township as she nuzzled the soft black fur of Buddy, an underweight Great Dane mix at an SPCA of Luzerne County adoption event Saturday in the Schiel's Family Market parking lot.

Hungry for affection, Buddy stood on his hind legs and wrapped his paws around Loeffler's neck.

Accompanied by his human friend, and SPCA volunteer, Ed Woelfle, of Hanover Township, Buddy gave his love freely to anyone who so much as bent down to say hello.

We've been trying to put some weight on him, said Woelfle, adding that he takes Buddy just about every weekend to Pet Smart in Wilkes-Barre Township to promote pet adoption and to hopefully find a good home for him.

I usually say, ‘Hi. Do you have any dogs or cats?' It gets people thinking.

Woelfle said since becoming an SPCA volunteer six years ago he has adopted two dogs, one of which is blind.

About five other dogs waiting to be adopted attended the event, along with their volunteers, who introduced them to passersby, offering information about each.

Sporting a red bandana with the words Make a difference, adopt me, a young, German shepherd mix playfully flipped a Santa chew toy. His volunteers, Michelle Stemrich of Dorrance Township and 14-year-old daughter, Taylor, took turns holding his leash. The mother-daughter team donate their time at the shelter on the weekends. We walk the dogs and clean out the cat shelters, Michelle said.

Saturday's event, which included a Halloween pet costume contest, prizes and raffles, was a first for the market, said event coordinator and Schiel's employee Leah Brzycki.

Since October is Adopt-a-Pet-Month, I thought it would be a great opportunity to do something that would benefit the SPCA, she said. A number of Schiel's employees also turned out to volunteer for to man the food and raffle booths.

The SPCA will be holding several fundraisers and adoption events in the coming weeks including Bone Appetit on Nov. 4 at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs, said SPCA volunteer Cathi Pederson. The SPCA of Luzerne County is the only full-time shelter in the county, taking in an average of 7,000 pets per year, including many full-breed dogs.