These dogs had their day in the park.
Animal lovers from across the borough bounded to Prospect Park on Aug. 2 to scoop up new furry friends at the city’s mega-adoption event Adoptapalooza and those who came to lend a helping paw said there was plenty of puppy love to go around.
“It was amazing,” said Maeghan Hall of Windsor Terrace, who volunteered with adoption organization Zani Furry Friends to help find homes for some lovable rescued mutts. “There are so many good people who came through. All the dogs got a ton of attention.”
Hall got involved with Adoptapalooza when she came across spaniel-retriever mix Riley up for grabs on Craigslist and decided to find him a loving home with the help of her friends at Zani. She raised enough money to house the pooch at the organization’s shelter in New Jersey, then brought her to the Prospect Park love-fest where Riley and six other dogs from the organization found permanent homes.
“I’m kind of like her godmother,” said Hall. “She would’ve been given up for free on Craigslist, probably not to a good person. It broke my heart so I grabbed her myself and ended up taking care of her.”
The mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals and homeless pet advocates at The Petfinder Foundation teamed up for Adoptapalooza’s Brooklyn debut after putting on a Manhattan event in May. The mayor’s team was on hand to give out free tags for adoptees, and the city’s emergency management team was there to offer guidance to new pet owners.
Even pet-lovers who did not adopt made new friends, and one attendee who brought along her 8-year-old son said it was a fun-filled day in the park.
“He had a ball,” said Joni Ifudu of Flatbush, whose son Jayden made a new four-legged friend at the event. “He taught the dog how to sit and how to shake his hand. He had a wonderful time.”
