Seven great reasons to attend NKUT Adoption Weekend
Twice each year, Best Friends Animal Society hosts NKUT Adoption Weekend, an event featuring hundreds of adoptable pets from our No-Kill Utah Coalition partners at one convenient location in a giant effort to find homes for pets. It all takes place in a festival-like atmosphere and culminates in a weekend full of happy endings. Here are seven great reasons to stop by experience NKUT Adoption Weekend at the Utah State Fairpark May 1-2.
1. Someone for everyone – This weekend’s event will feature more than 800 adoptable pets from more than 22 participating NKUT Coalition partners from all over the state. The event includes a wide selection of pets from high energy puppies and kittens to laid back senior pets — all of them ready to snuggle up to a new family.
2. No price on love – While there’s no price tag on love, there are lower adoption fees all weekend (starting at $25) with the goal to empty the shelters while making lifetime matches. Admission and parking are free and each adopter gets a complimentary adoption starter kit.
3. Cat attraction – Cats of every stripe will be there. One of our newer NKUT Coalition member organizations, Friends of Community-Cats Rescue (attending the event for the first time) is among the many groups bringing their beautiful felines. That group is especially excited about Zoe, a two-year-old orange tabby lap cat, and the hope is to find her the perfect family.
4. Family fun – “We’re ecstatic that the excitement will be shared via live remote broadcasts from six different radio stations that will provide entertainment throughout the event,” says Melissa Jones, Best Friends events specialist. With almost a dozen vendors and exhibitors, kids of all ages will have a great day filled with amazing food and pet-friendly swag, while they learn more about the local businesses dedicated to helping pets and people. From an easy nosh from the Salt City Pretzel Company, to delicious meals from the Food Cartel, it’s an all-around wonderful outing for the whole family.
5. Doggone awesome – Dogs, dogs, and more dogs. The event brings together the folks who know their dogs and want to make forever family matches. Hearts 4 Paws will be one of the groups attending for the first time and the group is excited and hopeful that an adorable little miniature pinscher named Joey finds a home. He’s great with cats, kids and other dogs. “We're so excited to join for the first time as a new rescue only four years old,” says Laurie Epperson, director of Hearts 4 Paws. “I've been to them in the past and I know that there's a great deal of successful adoptions made out of these super adoptions.”
6. Community unity – “We have vendors coming who have been big supporters in the world of animal welfare,” says Sandy Nelson, NKUT manager for Best Friends Animal Society. “Camp Bow Wow has done fundraisers for animal shelters and offers low cost options for boarding and daycare.” In addition, Utah Dog Park, which holds regular educational classes, will attend the event and share all kinds of pet health and safety tips with the public. The “Ask a trainer” booth will be manned by the dog behavior experts at K9 Lifeline. “K9 Lifeline has been helping socialize so many of the challenging dogs at Salt Lake County Animal Services,” says Sandy. “We’re thrilled they’ll be helping folks during the event.”
7. Saving lives to achieve a no-kill Utah by 2019 – Every animal rescued makes room for another homeless pet and helps reduce the killing in our shelters. Not only are you saving a life by adopting, you're helping us reach our no-kill Utah goal!
Learn more about NKUT Adoption Weekend.