It couldn’t have been a more beautiful day for South Jersey Regional Animal Shelter’s 28th Step for a Pet event. It’s been a few years since we have been able to gather with our friends (human and furry) for this special event and it was the perfect day to support the shelter. Enthusiasm was as catching as the beautiful aqua Step for a Pet tee-shirts that most people couldn’t resist picking up!

While we don’t have totals yet, there was a steady flow of people and pets, mostly dogs, but I did see a hamster and a cat joining the fun! The walkers enjoyed the sparkling lake and the beautiful views along the Parvin State Park trail.

At the gathering area, there were raffles and gift baskets, creative vendors, fantastic music from the Big Daddy Duo Band, refreshments and more. It’s always a great day, and this day felt especially special. It was clear how happy the volunteers, staff and the supporters were to be able to share this event again.

All of the dogs really seemed to be on their best behavior and two of the SJRAS adoptable dogs had a great day out too. Stella has been at the shelter for six months and recently was fortunate to find a wonderful foster home where she’s working on her manners and some training to make sure she’s totally ready for the right home when it comes along. Stella has the most beautiful smile and a sweet and friendly personality, but the best word to describe her is exuberant!  She has so much joy to share.

Whitney also enjoyed a vacation day out of the shelter. Whitney is 6-years-old and hearing impaired and had a great day making new friends and enjoying the sunshine and the undivided attention of her volunteer handler.

Another highlight of Step for a Pet is seeing dogs who have been adopted from the shelter out and about with their new families. I was especially thrilled to see a senior pit bull named Shorty join the fun. Shorty was part of the shelter’s Community Outreach program and I was thrilled to see how well he’s doing and how much his mom loves him. While we love emails and photos, seeing these pups in person, coming back to support their shelter, makes all the heartache and hard work that’s involved with sheltering worth it!

We want to thank everyone who came out to support us and especially the vendors, sponsors, and those who registered and collected donations. These donations support all of our life-saving efforts for the animals throughout the entire year.

If you missed out on Step for a Pet, don’t worry because we have another great event coming right up!

The shelter’s Plant, Bake and Yard Sale will be held May 7 at the shelter, so you can enjoy plenty of shopping. Plus, as a bonus you can see all of the shelter’s adoptable pets. You won’t want to miss out on the gorgeous plants and flowers, plus delicious baked goods available for sale. Also, a wide variety of treasures will be available at the yard sale.

Neither of these events would be possible without our volunteers. Their participation and enthusiasm ensure that our events are a success, and we just love having them around, whether it’s at an event or at the shelter. We welcome new volunteers and have so many opportunities if you want to join us, from events to animal handling to fundraising and more!

It’s been a long winter, and I know I wasn’t the only one who felt like there was much to be grateful for at the Step for a Pet event. The sunny weather, the feeling of being together again, the joyful music, the  celebrating, and the promise of the support of our volunteers and community is just what we need as we move into the busy seasons of spring and summer.

Shelter needs: Canned dog and cat food, dry adult cat food (no dyes please), dog treats, peanut butter, twin blankets/comforters, paper towels, liquid hand soap, and gift cards for pet supply and grocery outlets.

Source: SJRAS’s Step for a Pet is a success; next up is the Plant, Bake & Yard Sale