SPCA's new mobile adoption unit launches at Chappaqua Farmer's Market

The SPCA of Westchester launched its new Mobile Adoption Unit Saturday at the Chappaqua Farmers Market. The SPCA aims to make adoptions more accessible to the public by using the 26-foot truck to bring adoptable shelter animals to community events.

“There's sort of a national trend (where) adoptions have really sort of slowed down in the last year or so,” said Shannon Laukhuf, the chief executive officer for SPCA Westchester. "So we thought, this is such a great time to bring our animals out into the community and try to network with people who may not be familiar with SPCA or who may not have access to transportation and just try to make matches the best way that we can.”

According to Laukhuf, the new Mobile Adoption Unit was funded through the generosity of donors.

"We're just so fortunate to have so many wonderful supporters that we could rely on to make this mobile adoption unit a reality," Laukhuf said. “And this community — the Chappaqua Farmers Market has been so fantastic. We're really overwhelmed by the outpouring of support."

SPCA staff and volunteers facilitated meet-and-greets between potential adopters and available dogs at the Mobile Adoption Unit launch, checking to see if adopters were a good match for their pup of interest.

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The Mobile Adoption Unit launched to a crowd that began lining up around 8 a.m. for the 9 a.m. event, Laukhuf said.

Among the adoptable animals were Lorraine, a "very agile and very active" senior chihuahua, according to SPCA volunteer Vera Corato, who worked with Lorraine on Saturday; Maverick, a 7-year-old hound who was rescued from an at-risk shelter in the Carolinas, according to Laukhuf; Uda, an energetic border collie; and Taffy, a 3-month-old border collie mix who was the first adoption of the day.

"This couldn't have been more perfect," Mike Zemba, a member of the Zemba family-of-four that adopted Taffy.

"I used to be afraid of dogs," Mike said. But the family's dog, Daisy, who recently passed away, turned him into a dog-lover.

The family changed its newest family member's name from "Taffy" to "Poppy."

"All the girls' names in our family are after a flower," Lily Zemba, age 7, said.

Senior chihuahua, Lorraine, was also adopted. Her new family, Rick and Donna Powers, and their senior dog, Bailey, were excited to bring Lorraine into their family after the their other senior dog passed away.

Most of the dogs brought to the Farmers Market Saturday were adopted. Only Maverick the hound and Uda the border collie remain available after the event.

Fostering: Another way to help furry friends in Westchester

Adopting a pet is not the only way to help animals in Westchester County, according to Eileen Gallagher, the animal care and foster coordinator for SPCA Westchester. In addition to facilitating adoptions, the Mobile Adoption Unit's launch provided information about fostering, another way that community members can help animals in need.

"We have fosters for puppies that are just coming in off of transport," Gallagher said. "We have fosters for shy and fearful dogs who need a break from shelter living, or in general, dogs that have been here a long time and they're not showing their best selves."

According to Gallagher, foster homes provide a space where pets can open up and show their full personality, which, in turn, helps those pets get adopted.

For more information on adopting or fostering a pet, visit SPCA Westchester's "Programs" page at SPCAWestchester.org.

Samantha Antrum is the community news and outreach reporter for The Journal News/lohud. She reports on cultural and social justice issues and events. You can reach her at santrum@lohud.com.

This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Westchester NY SPCA event sees puppies of all ages get adopted