Sayville, NY - September 5, 2014 - Support the powerful, symbiotic bond that exists between pets and seniors while enjoying a fun day out with your own pet during Pioneers for Animal Welfare Society’s (PAWS) outdoor Fido Fall Harvest Festival & Dog Costume Contest benefiting PAWS’ Seniors With Animals Project (SWAP), taking place Saturday October 18, 2014 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at The Bristal Assisted Living, located at 129 Lakeland Avenue in Sayville, NY.

Tickets are $25.00 per adult and includes free admission for one child up to age 16; entry for each additional child ages 16 and under is $10.00. The festival will feature free popular harvest beverages and fare, one stop shopping access to various vendors, including many tailored for pets, and a variety of festive fall craft activities and games. Just in time for Halloween, festival-goers are encouraged to bring their dogs in costume for free entry into PAWS’ Dog Costume Contest that will select top place winners in several categories, including Funniest, Most creative, and Cutest. Photo opportunities of dogs in costume will be available for a nominal fee of $5.00.  Providing guests in attendance with the chance to capture tender loving moments alongside their “best friends,” there will also be a dog kissing photo booth, which is $5.00 per person.  

“Studies show an important, symbiotic link between pets and their owners’ personal health and well-being,” explains Melissa Gillespie, PAWS Executive Director. “For seniors grieving the loss of a spouse and living alone, having a pet can improve their physical and mental outlook while filling their lives with unconditional love, comfort and joy.  Our Fido Fall Harvest Festival provides an fun, engaging forum where pet owners and their “best friends” can enjoy a day out together amid other dog lovers with their dogs while helping to support SWAP’s vital services that preserve the relationship that seniors have with their pets in the unfortunate event that they become temporarily unable to care for their pet, as is often the case during periods of rehabilitation or hospitalization.”

 “Proceeds from our Fido Fall Harvest Festival will enable PAWS’ SWAP Program to continue its mission in preserving the important bond that seniors have with their pets as well as its goal in matching pets with seniors who have not yet experienced the incredible blessing that comes from pet companionship,” added Gillespie.

A series of raffle prizes will be given throughout the event. Vendor and raffle donor opportunities are still available. Booth rates are $50.00 per vendor. Anyone interested in registering as a vendor or contributing product or services for raffle should contact Jennifer Devine via email, jenniferdevine@caringpeople.com.

In keeping within PAWS’ mission in supporting animals, there will be a rescue ranch onsite for adoption opportunities. Also available will be microchipping and blessing of dogs.

All pet owners attending must bring their dogs leashed.  In the event of inclimate weather, a rain date is set for Sunday, October 19, 2014.

A not-for-profit, all-volunteer organization that has been in existence for more than 35 years, Pioneers for Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) is dedicated to educating people about the human treatment of all animals, promoting respect for all living things while also attempting to reduce the increasing companion animal population. For more information, visit www.paws-li.org. 

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