Fur-Fall-Palooza at Animal Welfare League showcases adoptable pets

There were some great deals to be had at Chicago Ridge during the recent Fur-Fall-Palooza. For one thing, Chihuahua kisses were available for just 5 cents.

The friendly pups, Toffee and Butterscotch, were just two of many dogs featured at the Animal Welfare League’s third annual Pet Celebration, interacting in hopes that people would adopt them, or at least decide to donate food or money to help with their upkeep.

“They’re little babies,” Bri Kowalczyk, kennel keeper at the shelter, told a doting couple who asked about the 3-month-old chihuahuas.

The event offered many pet-centered family activities and included games for children, a raffle, crafts and vendors, a bake sale and a rummage sale. There was also a costume contest, a fashion show for AWL dogs awaiting adoption, and a “pet reader,” which used tarot cards to supposedly help people understand their pets. Visitors could also bring their own dogs and cats to the event.

The fashion show was a great success, showing adoptable dogs in Halloween costumes. Shelter managers gave the shy dogs pep talks and affection as they walked across the stage, as well as a helping hand to a few with physical difficulties.

Pam Ralson, who lives in Midlothian, took her rat terrier, Rocky, with her as she walked around the event. She is a client of the shelter’s clinic, where she brings dogs to get vaccinated.

“I like to drop off (dog) food every once in a while,” said Ralson, who was also accompanied by her sister and children. “I thought, let’s do a nice little outing because they have a lot of things for kids.”

Many other people also brought pet items, including some sellers who donated their profits to the shelter. Sales from Animal Welfare League booths also went directly toward animal care.

“Unfortunately, there is currently such an overpopulation of pets that there are more animals than homes,” said Chris Higens, president of AWL. “We receive a number of animals with special needs.

“We do our best to rehabilitate them and devote a lot of resources to those who need them,” she said.

Higens praised the shelter’s veterinarian, Dr. Leo Paul, for his invaluable assistance in healing these animals.

“The animals that he overcomes…a lot of people don’t want them,” she said.

Because the shelter is “open intake,” unlike some smaller, no-kill shelters, they are often overflowing with animals.

“We can’t choose which animals come to us,” Higens said. “A lot of people compare it to Chicago Animal Care and Control because of all the animals we have.”

To help relieve this large population, Higens said the annual festival helps spread the message that “shelter animals are a good option.”

Oak Lawn resident Maryann Nedorost, who ran her knick-knack and home goods stand, has volunteered at AWL for years and adopted her West Highland terrier, Oliver, and her shih tzu, Sushi from the shelter. She helped with laundry and cooking at the shelter before the COVID-19 pandemic and plans to donate proceeds from her sales there.

“They are not funded by anyone else and everything donated goes directly to the animals,” Nedorost said. “No one is getting rich from this. They are just trying to feed and adopt as many animals as possible.”

At the Pawsitive Spirit booth, Kathy Bright, who also offers pet loss support, spoke to a couple holding their dog about what might be causing the pet’s insecurity.

“She still needs some reassurance,” Bright told the couple.

Many AWL employees and volunteers were at the event, some with their own pets, like Denise Colello, surgical supervisor at the shelter clinic.

Colello was there to answer questions about vaccines and heartworm and brought his own adopted dog to AWL, eight-year-old Champ.

“He was from Dolton, torn apart by other dogs,” she said. “We took him to the operating room, sutured him and discovered he had lupus and severe anxiety.”

Colello therefore had him certified as a support dog, who accompanies him to work every day.

“He’s never far from me,” Colello said.

Janice Neumann is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.