Pennsylvania SPCA holds dog adoption sale

The Pennsylvania SPCA called it a "garage sale."

In open garages at the society's headquarters in North Philadelphia, about 120 dogs of all ages, sizes, and colors stared up from crates as prospective owners browsed.

There were German shepherds, rottweilers, pit bulls, and mixed breeds, all barking for attention.

The event started Saturday and continues from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday and from 1 to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday at the SPCA, in the 300 block of East Erie Avenue.

Scores of people had turned out and claimed at least 20 dogs by late Saturday afternoon, taking advantage of discounted adoption fees and chances to receive the pets for free. Ten other dogs were taken in by rescue organizations, which will try to place them with families.

"But there are many more dogs that need new homes," Pennsylvania SPCA spokeswoman Liz Williamson said. "We're hopeful the public will provide loving homes to dogs that need a second chance.

"Our promotion will continue until all of them are out of temporary housing" in the garage.

Jose Gomez and his daughter, Nylah, knew - almost right away - when they had found the right dog.

They looked at others, but none of them had the rambunctious spirit and friendly personality of the pit bull mix they adopted.

The brown-and-white, 1-year-old dog raced back and forth in a fenced run, chased a ball, and played tug-of-war with Gomez, 25, and Nylah, 3.

"This dog is for both of us," said Gomez, of North Philadelphia. "We'll be taking her home."

Does your wife know? "Yeah, she's OK with it," he added.

The dogs had been transferred from the Animal Care and Control Team facility on Hunting Park Avenue. An infection - Streptococcus zooepidemicus, or strep zoo - killed a Labrador retriever last month at the shelter.

SPCA officials treated all of the dogs with antibiotics, emptied the facility, and approved the animals for adoption at the headquarters. The Hunting Park Avenue facility was cleaned and will reopen for new dogs this week.

"A lot of the dogs were surrendered or were strays that were picked up," SPCA spokeswoman Gail Luciani said. Until they came to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, "many were emaciated and had never seen a vet or gotten their shots."

But all of those up for adoption have received the needed health care and are ready to go to homes, said Angela Messer, the SPCA's director of operations.

"Our hope is that we will do as many adoptions as we can," she said. "The response so far has been amazing."

The dogs older than 6 months can be adopted for $75 and puppies younger than 6 months for $125. But through a spring promotion, families can receive discounts of $10 to $15 or free adoptions.

All animals are spayed or neutered, vaccinated, treated for fleas and ticks, and tagged with microchips for permanent identification. The owners also receive 30 days of free health insurance for their pets.

On Saturday, SPCA volunteers put bright "Adopt Me" vests on some dogs and walked them so visitors could get acquainted.

The lucky dogs were then taken by families to fenced run areas. That was where Shawn Griffin, 14, of North Philadelphia, was getting to know a 2-year-old German shepherd.

"I like him a lot," Griffin said as his grandmother looked on. "I think I'll take him. I just have to clean up the backyard and fix the fence."

Nearby, Nicole Johnson, 23, and her daughter Raniya Smith, 2, of Northeast Philadelphia, were bonding with a rottweiler named Sunshine.

"She seems like she's good with children. She's very quiet and mild-mannered," said Johnson. "We're going home with this one."