What do you get if you put a dozen or more dogs, cats, puppies and kittens together in a shopping mall with a similar number of animal handlers and large numbers of members of the public interested in adopting, or just curious? A recipe for disaster or a coordinated and generally successful attempt to rehome some of Trinidad’s many unwanted and abandoned animals? In general, we get the latter. Pet Adoption Drives are very successful, which is why the Animal Welfare Network has now hosted eight of these events, the most recent being held at Long Circular Mall a week ago.

Why do we need Pet Adoption Drives? Because our pet dogs and cats cannot practise "safe sex"! Only we, their owners, can do that for them, by spaying the females and neutering the males. Unfortunately, not enough owners are prepared to do that, so here in Trinidad and Tobago we continue to be awash with surplus animals for whom there are no homes. Many of these animals end up in the care of the Animal Welfare Network and we are constantly working towards finding good, new, permanent homes for as many as possible.

Pet Adoption Drives are hard work, but they are also fun. The hard work begins well before the event, with the search for the venue, advertising, a round up overview of all the current homeless in foster care and boarding kennels and allocation of handlers to each particular animal.

Our sponsors and supporters from Oscar Francois, agents for Frontline* and other pet care products,  arrive next, along with their display stall and additional tables and chairs! These early arrivals are then followed by the rest of the volunteers and the pets, waterbowls, paper towels, pet treats and all the other paraphernalia required to see the event goes smoothly.  For some of pets we have up for adoption, it may be the animal’s first time in a car, and these journeys can be quite eventful!

Cats, kittens and small puppies are carried in pet carry cages, whilst adult dogs are required to walk in on leashes. Again, walking on a leash is a new skill for many dogs, and some are unable to cooperate and end up being carried in! Once at the event, however, it is surprising how well the animals behave. Although most of the dogs have never met one another before, we have never had to deal with a fight. In fact, the dogs, in particular, seem to enjoy themselves very much, revelling in the freedom from their kennels and most of them love all the attention they receive.

Pet Adoption Drives are just one of the ways in which we try to find homes for the animals in our care and they are an opportunity for homeless animals and potential new owners to get together. Anyone interested in adopting a particular animal is asked to fill out a form and at the end of the event all the forms for each animal are assembled.

Dogs, puppies and adult cats are not normally allowed to be homed direct from the Adoption Drive, although we may make the occasional exception, usually for young male kittens.

Adoption Drives usually last three hours, as we find this is long enough for most of the animals, who do eventually become tired after so much unaccustomed public exposure. It can also be quite tiring for the volunteer handlers, who are constantly on show too!

Following a successful Adoption Drive, we hope to place most, if not all, the animals in their new homes within the next week or so. When animals are placed, we make no charge. However, we do welcome donations; in fact, they are essential to our survival. Taking a stray or unwanted animal and getting it into condition for rehoming is not cheap and we need every dollar we can get.

It’s a great feeling when we see an animal settled in its new home, and to see its kennel empty at the vet’s. Unfortunately, though, we know only too well that the kennel will be full again all too soon, as the next sad stray comes in off the street and the whole adoption process begins all over again.