Community Corner

PHOTOS: Raining Cats and Dogs at Polish Hall

Adopt-a-thon draws packed crowd at Polish Hall on drizzly Saturday.

It may have been bitter and raining off and on outside on Saturday, but it warm and furry, raining cats and dogs inside the all day Saturday.

"We had to turn people away before we were even open," said Jamie Berger, communications director for the Animal Rescue Fund of the Hamptons, which organized a on Saturday from noon to 5 p.m. at the Polish Hall.

The event featured nine rescue groups from as far as Hempstead. Within the first two hours, 14 animals had been adopted out, though some groups just reserved animals rather than adopting on the spot.

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Maria Estrada, who came from Holbrook, came on Saturday in hopes of finding a golden retreiver to take home. Instead, she couldn't resist Mo, a four-month-old terrier-lab mix. Though she's not sure about keeping the name.

"He's active, alert, and friendly," she said, as she smiled for a picture.

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Downtown Riverhead resident Isabelle Gonzalez brought her son, Viktor Paris, to the event also looking for a golden, or possibly a husky. Deterred as well by another loving dog, the two couldn't resist Penelope, a two-and-a-half-year-old corgie mix.

"This will do," he said as she jumped up on him. "I love that she's jumpy and so active."

While ARF and Kent Animal Shelter found much success within the first couple of hours - ARF had adopted close to a dozen dogs and Kent, three of the five they brought - not everyone was getting bites. Though the exposure of the event was hopeful.

"We've had a lot of interest," said Dawn Bennett, with North Fork Animal Welfare League. "It's good exposure."

Cats roamed the downstairs of Polish Hall, though fewer adoptions were reported at the midway point in the day.

"Unless people are looking for a specific breed, I think a lot just wanted to get out of the house, come down, and walk around," said Mary Johnson, who ran the cat adoption cages for the NFAWL.

Berger hinted that the event seemed to be doing so well it could turn out to be an annual showing.

"Maybe we'll do it again next year," she said.


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