JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Dogs, cats and plenty of wagging tails have taken over Jacksonville’s Prime Osborn Convention Center this weekend as part of a statewide pet adoption event.
The Petco Love Florida Mega Pet Adoption Event is underway, bringing together shelters from across the state with a single mission — finding loving homes for 2,000 animals.
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Jacksonville Humane Society CEO Lawrence Nicolas said the mission of the event across the Sunshine State is something staff and volunteers look forward to every year.
Adoption fees are waived for the entire weekend. Nicolas said the process is designed to be as simple as possible for prospective pet owners.
“Bring an ID, just bring whatever else you think you may need,” he said. “You don’t need to worry about bringing a dossier of documents and information or anything like that.”
The event also draws organizations from outside Jacksonville. Elysse Rathbone, adoption center and shelter director for the Nassau Humane Society, said the trip from Amelia Island is well worth it.
“Because we’re located on Amelia Island, this is the best opportunity that we get to bring the dogs to a bigger pool of adopters,” Rathbone said.
The Nassau Humane Society brought 24 dogs and 12 cats on Saturday, with plans to bring more animals Sunday.
For some visitors, the timing of the event made the decision to adopt even more special. Antonieta Buggio stopped by Saturday as a first-time adopter, picking out a furry gift for a possible Father’s Day surprise.
“I’m feeling really excited because I always [had] a puppy, but we always pick up all the good ones and [a] nice breed,” Buggio said.
For the staff and volunteers making those moments possible, Nicolas said there is nothing quite like watching families come together.
“That’s what makes this kind of work just so rewarding for the staff and volunteers, and everybody who’s here — we get to be a part of families being made in the whole,” Nicolas said. “You can never have too many of that. You can never see too many adoptions.”
For anyone who missed Saturday’s event, there is one more opportunity to adopt. The Petco Love Florida Mega Adoption Event continues Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Prime Osborn Convention Center in Jacksonville.