Countdown 2 Zero Pet Adoption Event Sept. 28 At Fairgrounds

Lois Pope and Rich Anderson

The sixth annual Countdown 2 Zero (C2Z) Pet Adoption Event, presented by the Lois Pope Life Foundation, will take place Saturday, Sept. 28 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the South Florida Fairgrounds Expo Center.

This free event is the county’s largest annual pet adoption event and will feature hundreds of animals — dogs, cats, rabbits, chickens and more — from Palm Beach County seeking new families and homes.

Organized by the Peggy Adams Animal Rescue League and Palm Beach County Animal Care & Control, Countdown 2 Zero is a collaborative effort of more than 20 local rescue and partner groups dedicated to saving the lives of Palm Beach County animals. The past five C2Z adoption events found more than 1,300 animals their forever homes.

Both admission and parking are free for the event. Many of the rescue groups will be offering special discounts and adoption incentives, and all new pet parents will receive swag bags filled with special gifts, including rabies tags compliments of Palm Beach County Animal Care & Control, for each adopted pet that will reside within Palm Beach County. There will also be a children’s activity area.

Adoption events like this enable rescues to make space to rescue more animals in need, such as those in the Bahamas recently affected by Hurricane Dorian.

“The Countdown 2 Zero Adoption Event is the largest pet adoption event in Palm Beach County, and we are excited to announce that the Lois Pope Life Foundation is returning as a sixth year presenting sponsor. Mrs. Pope’s dedication and love of helping homeless animals find forever homes is astounding,” said Rich Anderson, executive director and CEO of the Peggy Adams Animal Rescue League.

Other sponsors are also crucial to the event’s success. “This lifesaving event is also supported by the Petco Foundation and Bobs from Skechers,” Anderson said. “C2Z is a true collaboration to achieve the goal of saving lives in our community. It’s exactly what Countdown 2 Zero is all about — adopting from a local shelter when looking for a new pet.”

Rescue organizations participating in the sixth annual C2Z Adoption Event include the Adopt A Cat Foundation, Amber’s Animal Outreach, Animal Rescue Force of South Florida, Barky Pines Animal Rescue & Sanctuary, Big Dog Ranch Rescue, Blessed Paws Animal Rescue, Coastal Boxer Rescue, Delilah’s Second Chance, East Coast Rabbit Rescue, Forgotten Florida Felines, Great Dane Rescue of South Florida, Heaven’s Gate Senior Dog Sanctuary, Josephine’s Rattery & Small Pet Rescue, Juno Humane, Luv-A-Pet, Rising Star Rottweiler Rescue, Save A Pet Florida and Tri-County Animal Rescue. Partners include American Humane, Loxahatchee Lost & Found Pets and the South Florida Link Coalition.

Additional sponsors include the Animal Farm Foundation, Searcy Law, ServPro, Very Important Paws, Sunny 104.3 FM, WPBF 25, Nozzle Nolen, The Palm Beach Post, Wellington Hospitality Group, TooJay’s, Scenthound, Inn the Dog House, Pawz On Demand Pet Taxi, Dog Watch of East Coast Florida, Drive Shack, Empire Beauty School, JupPupBeds and Paws & Cherish.

Countdown 2 Zero is a public/private community collaboration, initiated by the Peggy Adams Animal Rescue League, Palm Beach County Animal Care & Control and the Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners to bring local animal welfare organizations together and end the euthanasia of adoptable animals in Palm Beach County. To learn more, visit www.countdown2zero.org or e-mail info@countdown2zero.org.