New York, NY (May 2, 2019) – On Sunday, May 19, rain or shine, from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., over 500 dogs, puppies, cats, kittens and rabbits will turn Union Square Park North into the epicenter of all things pet adoption, as Rock & Rawhide, in partnership with Petco Foundation, Petco, BOBS from SKECHERS and JustFoodForDogs, presents Adoptapalooza, New York’s Original Mega Pet Adoption Event. With over 30 rescues and shelters offering up their populations to prospective pet parents, Adoptapalooza is the largest pet adoption event in the tri-state area.
Founded by the Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals (“the Alliance”) in 2010, Adoptapalooza will make its 2019 debut with a new organization taking the leash, Rock & Rawhide, an organization that has worked with the Alliance over the course of the last eight years. Under Rock & Rawhide management, Adoptapalooza will offer expanded programming including new rescues, a larger Kids Korner with more family-oriented activities, as well as new education and sampling opportunities for adopters of all ages.
“We are honored that the Alliance has passed the leash onto Rock & Rawhide to manage Adoptapalooza. We are putting our best paws forward to continue growing this pawesome bi-annual event to new heights. As such, we have spent the last couple of months looking at new and expanded programming for pet parents and attendees of all ages,” said Sean-Patrick M. Hillman, Chairman of Rock & Rawhide. “As an example, we are tying into the lead that Petco has taken in the industry to remove brands that have artificial ingredients and additives, so we are focusing on better nutrition education and highlighting brands that help new pet parents get off to the right paw with their adoption. Also, I remember growing up in Manhattan with two dogs and three cats which provided so many amazing memories from my childhood, as well as the basic building blocks of responsibility. So we are focusing a little more on childrens’ activities and fun for the whole family as well.”
Additional sponsors this year include iHeartRadio’s Z100, Guitar Center, Solid Gold Pet Nutrition, Blue Buffalo, Merrick, Whole Hearted by Petco, Rachael Hale, KONG, BarkBox and more.
Here are the highlights for the May 19th event:
- Petco Dog Training Field Sponsored by JustFoodForDogs: Petco will have their dog trainers doing consultations, teaching tips and tricks to both prospective and current dog parents. Petco is also offering $40 back in Petco Rewards for anyone who signs up for a class during Adoptapalooza.
- Petco Grooming Tent: Petco will be giving away 25% off grooming coupons to anyone that downloads the Petco Mobile APP which allows Guests to book their grooming appointments online. Petco Grooming staff will also be giving free consultations and answering any questions related to proper grooming maintenance.
- Vetco: Petco’s Vetco team will be performing free microchipping as well as giving away free reflector dog collars. New this year is free 4DX testing. 4DX tests for heartworm as well as tick-borne illnesses. Any Guest that gets their dog tested will also get a coupon for 10% off of prescription flee, tick and heartworm prevention.
- JustFoodForDogs Cooking Demonstrations: JustFoodForDogs will be hosting live cooking demonstrations and sampling fresh, whole food human-grade meals for dogs during Adoptapalooza to celebrate the opening of their kitchen inside Petco Union Square.
- Kids Korner Sponsored by Solid Gold:
- Face Painting by Award Winning artist The Cheeky Chipmunk
- Pet Caricatures by Lorelei Arts
- Illustrations by the Society of Illustrators
- Dance-Off at the Stage: Kids can dance their socks off with two of the coolest costume characters around, Petco’s Red Ruff and Blue Mews.
- Kids’ Music Lessons Tent by Guitar Center: Kids and families can explore various musical instruments and sign up for lessons with this legendary music retailer.
- Catwalk/Dogwalk Show: BOBS from SKECHERS will be highlighting their latest cat and dog-themed footwear as well as t-shirts on the red carpet during Adoptapalooza.
- Take a Selfie with 5-Foot Plush Dog by Rachael Hale to help shelter animals: Take a selfie with world renowned animal photography brand Rachael Hale’s 5-foot plush dog, post to social with #RachaelHaleGivesBack and follow @rachael.hale on Instagram and they will make a donation to Rock & Rawhide. Rachael Hale will also be giving away 20% off coupons to purchase their new home décor and travel gear collection now available at Bed Bath & Beyond.
- Adopter Goodie Bags by KONG, Petco Foundation and BarkBox: Every new pet parent will get their relationship off to the right with KONG toys; Petco Foundation’s Welcome Adoption Kit which includes coupons for the adopter to save money on products and information about they care for their new four-legged friend; and treats from our friends at BarkBox to help keep Fido or Fluffy’s belly full.
- Pet Product Sampling by JustFoodForDogs, Merrick, Blue Buffalo, Solid Gold, and more.
- Food Trucks: Notoriously delicious food truck Tony Dragon’s Grille, where even four-star chefs go to get their lunch, will be on-hand to feed the public while a portion of the proceeds will be donated to Rock & Rawhide.
Adoptapalooza Spring 2019 will take place on Sunday, May 19 from 12 p.m. – 5 p.m. at Union Square Park North across from Petco Union Square. A second edition, Adoptapalooza Fall 2019, will take place on Sunday, September 15 from 12:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. in the same location.
About Rock & Rawhide
Rock & Rawhide aims to increase adoptions and quality of life for dogs and cats in shelters, by providing distraction therapy and noise/stress reduction through the donations of toys, tough chew items, Kongs, Nylabones, bones, rawhides, blankets and more. If a dog is chewing, it’s not barking! If a cat is playing, it’s not meowing! Less noise = less stress. In turn, dogs and cats can pass their evaluations at shelters, and show more of their personality, making them more adoptable. We collect items through regular donations, music gigs, visual art shows, culinary events, DJ events, drop box programs, and more. Rock & Rawhide also helps to produce adoption events in major markets across the country.
About the Petco Foundation
At the Petco Foundation, we believe that every animal deserves to live its best life. Since 1999, we’ve invested more than $250 million in lifesaving animal welfare work to make that happen. With our more than 4,000 animal welfare partners, we inspire and empower communities to make a difference by investing in adoption and medical care programs, spay and neuter services, pet cancer research, service and therapy animals, and numerous other lifesaving initiatives. Through our Think Adoption First program, we partner with 1,500 Petco stores and animal welfare organizations across the country to increase pet adoptions. So far, we’ve helped more than 6 million pets find their new loving families, and we’re just getting started. Visit petcofoundation.org to learn more about how you can get involved.
About Skechers U.S.A., Inc.
Based in Manhattan Beach, California, Skechers (NYSE:SKX) designs, develops and markets a diverse range of lifestyle footwear for men, women and children, as well as performance footwear for men and women. Skechers footwear is available in the United States and over 170 countries and territories worldwide via department and specialty stores, more than 3,060 Skechers Company-owned and third-party-owned retail stores, and the Company’s e-commerce websites. The Company manages its international business through a network of global distributors, joint venture partners in Asia, Israel and Mexico, and wholly-owned subsidiaries in Canada, Japan, India, and throughout Europe and Latin America. For more information, please visit about.skechers.com and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
About JustFoodForDogs
JustFoodForDogs (JFFD) launched the fresh, whole food movement for pets when they opened the first open to the public kitchen cooking food for dogs in 2010. JFFD offers the only food on the market proven healthy by two independent universities. A team of in-house veterinarians formulates the meals utilizing only fresh, whole food ingredients USDA certified for human consumption, in recipes nutritionally balanced for dogs as well as cats. JFFD offerings, including daily meals, veterinary support diets, snacks and supplements are available at stand-alone kitchens currently open in California and Seattle, with additional kitchens opening in Chicago and Boston this year. In May 2019, the company will open a kitchen inside Petco’s flagship store in New York City’s Union Square. The company also has pantries and store-in-store formats within Petco and Pet Food Express locations across the country, with commitments to open hundreds of additional units over the next several years. For more information, please visit JustFoodForDogs.
