This Valentine’s Day, America’s Christian Credit Union in Glendora hosted Pause for Paws, a pet adoption event for community members to find and adopt furry friends.
“We wanted to bring some dogs out for people to adopt that would already be registered, already be microchipped and already spayed or neutered,” said APU alumna Liza Lemkuil, current marketing specialist at the credit union. “We started calling people and everybody was really excited for the event. We ended up with six different pet resource vendors and seven different rescues and shelters. We thought it was best to have it on Valentine’s Day because nothing says ‘I love you’ more than saving a furry friend and welcoming them into your home. Our mission is to Reach, Serve and Teach and today we accomplished that.”
Many pets found a new home, including Harrison from Maltese Rescue California, who was the Valentine’s Day gift for Connie and Howard Hiwiller of Glendora.
“We have one dog, Honey, and we think she needs some friends,” Connie Hiwiller said. “We love dogs, so we thought we’d like to adopt one from a shelter. So now we’ve got Harrison. This is our gift to each other for Valentine’s day.”
Admission was free and each guest received a welcome bag with dog treats, information on the shelters attending, coupons from different pet resource vendors and other vendor gifts.
The event ran form 10 a.m. to 2 p.m with over 100 in attendance. About 30 dogs, cats, iguanas and a bunny were up for adoption. According to Lemkuil, 16 animals, including the bunny, were adopted. Many of the attendees, like Alisha and Damien Alarcon adopted not one, but two dogs.
“We did have a maltese, and we unfortunately lost her to congestive heart failure and kidney failure, so our hearts were broken and these little guys definitely have helped soothe and fill our hearts,” Alisha Alarcon said. “We needed another member of the family to love and to spoil. We want to give them as much as we can to give them a good life and make sure they’re happy and healthy. These little dogs need homes, and we’re just here to do that.”
Vendors and attendees were excited to see new homes found for the animals brought by shelters. In the first hour, several adoptions had already taken place, including a cat from Upland Animal Shelter that was adopted by the wife of a city council member.
“Most [animals here] are strays that were brought into the shelter from Upland,” said Jon Knowlton, animal services supervisor at Upland Animal Shelter. “When you’re looking for a pet, always go to your local animal shelter and get a pet that is looking for a home that doesn’t have a home. There are so many great pets looking for homes.”