Pound Rescue is holding a free barbecue in Okotoks this weekend.
The event is being held as a fundraiser and will include a raffle for a 60'' TV, as well as plenty of adoptable puppies and kittens.
It's scheduled for Saturday, August 10, in the parking lot of Christine's No Frills in Okotoks, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
No Frills is providing all the food for the barbecue, and Global Pet Foods will be providing pet treat samples too.
Fiona Haynes, longtime volunteer with Pound Rescue, says the funds are mainly used for medical expenses.
"With Pound Rescue, most of our funds go to medical care for animals when they come in. Many come in with injuries, or they're very young animals that need help and support, so most of our donations go to medical and vet care for them. That includes, of course, spaying and neutering, which is something I talk about all the time. A really critical part is that all animals that come to Pound Rescue are spayed or neutered before their new owners receive them."
While Pound Rescue doesn't do same-day adoptions, anyone attending the event who's looking to adopt will be able to meet plenty of potential new furry friends and even apply to adopt on the day.
Haynes says you can also get an idea of the process.
"We work really hard to make sure that we match people with the right animal for them, for their lifestyle, for their family, the one that's going to work best for them. Consequently, we have very very few, less than one per cent, of animals come back to us because we make sure we get them into those great homes in the first place."
The non-profit is also still in need of foster families, and Haynes says the event will be a great chance to talk to volunteers about the foster experience.
"People have a lot of worries about it, they think it's going to be hard to give the animals up, they think there's going to be a cost attached to it. All of those questions, you can come and talk to us at Pound Rescue and we'll share with you what the fostering experience is like. It's great fun, we have a great foster community. We help each other out, we give each other advice if it's needed. We're there for each other, Fostering animals is a really amazing way to make a difference. To take them from, often, a very bad situation where they've started out and get them into a really fantastic, loving home."
More information on the event can be seen on the Pound Rescue Facebook page.