Last August our wonderful dog of twelve years died. She was our inspiration for many things including our pet supply store. We called her our CEO (Canine Executive Officer). She was a pet therapy dog for ten years at Community East hospital on Thursday nights.

Perhaps, we thought, it might be time to hire a new CEO. We heard that the Indy Mega Adoption would be happening on June 20th and 21st. This event, hosted by FACE Low-Cost Animal Clinic is for the non-profit shelters and rescue groups of Central Indiana. Groups that attend this event are either municipal shelters that have to kill animals for space (they are required by law to take every animal surrendered to them) or rescue groups and shelters that do not kill for space but pull animals from the municipal shelters to open room.

We were ready to walk the site at the Indiana State Fairgrounds to search through the over 1,000 pets that were brought in from 27 groups. We posted it on Facebook so our friends would support this wonderful cause. That's when things changed. Our sales rep from Precise Pet Foods saw the post and jumped in. He contacted me and asked if together we could set up out there and give full size dog and cat food bags to the adopted pets. What a wonderful idea, I thought. Those pets are probably eating whatever is donated on a shoestring budget. Getting them started on a good diet is the first step to a better, new life.

And so it began. . . all the logistics of obtaining one ton of food and 50 cases of samples and getting it delivered, first to my store and then to the booth the afternoon before the event. This put us in the thick of it all and behind the scenes to see firsthand just how well-oiled this event is. There were over 350 volunteers, not counting those within each rescue group. It was amazing! At 11:00 AM Saturday morning the doors opened. People had started to arrive as early as 8:30 to get in line. Folks were lined up to get in, wrapped around the corner of the building! Over 10,000 people came on Saturday.

Volunteers were in the lobby as groups were counted by a ticker and filed in. The volunteers cheered and applauded as each group of so many was allowed in. It was such a feel-good time. Outside was a woman on a megaphone explaining how it worked saying that the cats were on one side and the dogs on the other. It was crazy wild! There were so many people. It was very hot and very loud. The dogs were barking like crazy! It's as if they were all calling out "look at me" or "hey, I'm over here". They knew it was their day. There was not one dog fight or mishap. No snarling or growling. They were all on their best behavior. Some were dressed up with bow ties and bandanas. And then there were the cats. Quiet, calm, dignified. Cats are cats and so above the antics of dogs. Their room was peaceful.

Cats are harder to adopt out. They had set up enclosed areas where the cat of choice could meet and interact with potential adoptees. In the afternoon it was cat nap time and many slept through the noisy confusion of the room next door. In both rooms I spotted "bonded pairs". It was a good feeling knowing that these siblings would not be separated. One was a beagle pair and the other the white cat brothers. I was drawn to the beautiful white cats and kept checking them.

Towards the end of Sunday when I walked over to see if they had gone home yet the adoption was in process. I talked to the man and woman. Their two cats had recently died just two weeks apart and they were very sad. These kitties were just the ticket for them. I was happy as I saw them lifted into their carriers to be taken to a new life together.

Another vendor told me the dogs are happy, you can see it in their face. The photo above is a perfect example. This is Caitlin and Robert Negron and their new best friend, Quincy. I always say, pets make you smile. We were so busy at our booth we missed out on adopting this time. Another day. . . . . . there's so many waiting for us in the shelters.