Dog walk and festival will celebrate animal appreciation, promote adoption.

Farmingville, NY – Supervisor Mark Lesko and Councilwoman Jane Bonner have announced that the Town of Brookhaven Animal Shelter will host the second annual “Woofstock” dog walk and festival on Sunday, August 12 in Patchogue. Residents are encouraged to bring their dogs, families, and friends, dress up in their best “hippie” outfit, and join in the far-out fun. The event is presented by Act1Entertainment.net and Kappler’s Hotel Bar & Grill in Patchogue and will feature contests, prizes, vendors, food, games, live music by “BigDaddy and the Bulldogs,” and plenty of animals available for adoption. The walk begins at Kapplers on Division Street and West Avenue in Patchogue at 1:30pm. Participants are required to pay a $30.00 registration fee, which includes a t-shirt and gift bag. All proceeds from the event will benefit the Help the Animals Fund for Brookhaven Animal Shelter and Adoption Center.

“Our Animal Shelter Director Dori Scofield and her staff continue to do a tremendous job of holding special events to promote animal adoption,” said Supervisor Lesko, “Woofstock is a great opportunity for families to spend a fun-filled day and hopefully bring a new family member home with them.”

Councilwoman Bonner said, “Woofstock is a fun event for a good cause, the Help the Animals Fund which is close to my heart. I urge anyone who loves animals to come down on Sunday and help the Animal Shelter find homes for some adorable furry friends.”

The Brookhaven Town Animal Shelter has been very progressive in launching programs to increase adoption rates and pet retention, and to get animals spayed and neutered, especially focusing on the large population of Pit Bulls and Pit Mixes at their facility. Together these programs have helped over 200 Pit Bulls.

Last year, the Animal Shelter introduced “Spay it Forward”, a program that offers incentives to get animals spayed and neutered. For every Pit Bull that a resident gets spayed or neutered, the owner will receive a voucher to help another needy Pit Bull to receive the same services. The Animal Shelter is also providing free micro-chipping, vaccines, heartworm testing, and collars for anyone who gets their Pit Bull spayed or neutered.

The Brookhaven Bully Alliance (BBA) encourages other animal rescues to adopt Pit Bulls from the Brookhaven animal shelter and find homes for them. Every shelter dog that enters the BBA program is professionally evaluated, spayed or neutered, vaccinated and micro-chipped. $250 goes to each participating organization for the care of the animal.

These programs are made possible by the Help the Animals Fund, an affiliate of the Town of Brookhaven Animal and Adoption Center. The mission of the Help the Animals Fund is to prevent cruelty to animals and to provide sick, neglected and injured stray animals at the Brookhaven Animal Shelter the much needed and deserved medical care that they would otherwise not receive. This fund is supported 100% by voluntary donations, which are tax deductible.

The Animal Shelter is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Sunday from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. It is located at 300 Horseblock Road in Brookhaven, New York, 11719. For more information, call the Brookhaven Animal Shelter and Adoption Center at 631-286-4940 or visit www.brookhaven.org/animalshelter.

Division of Public Information * Office of the Supervisor
One Independence Hill • Farmingville • NY 11738 • Phone (631) 451-6595 • Fax (631) 451-6258