It was paws-itively purrfect!
Brooklyn shelter dogs strutted their stuff in front of prospective owners at the annual Bark Avenue Adopt-A-Thon in Carroll Park on Sunday afternoon, and the organizer say it was a great way to show off how the formerly abused and abandoned canines were still as lovable as ever.
“One of the things that really strikes me is that some of these dogs have suffered so much abuse and yet when you meet them they’re licking you all over and kissing you,” said Marion Fiore, who has been putting on the local event for the past three years.
The pups took a nod from big award shows, walking down the “Bark Avenue” red carpet with volunteer handlers as some of the borough’s shelters set up booths to educate locals about their services.
Cats were also on the lookout for new owners at the event, and eight of the pooches and pussies ended up going home with new owners who fell in love with them straight away, according to Fiore.
“They looked like they were just in love looking at a newborn baby,” said Fiore, who said her own dog’s unconditional love transformed her from a “self-centered shop-a-holic Wall Street broker” into to an animal advocate.
The event also featured fun for local pups who already have parents — pups struck a pose in a photo booth and leaped over obstacles in an agility course. And for their owners, an animal whisperer was on hand to offer behavior tips.
And though the yearly adoption extravaganza is a lot of work, Fiore says the happy hounds and humans make it all worth it in the end.
“When it finally takes place, it’s worth the whole kit and caboodle,” she said.