Small- to medium-sized dogs looking for families Saturday

By Keri Luiz
Assistant Editor

Pups ‘N’ Purrz owner James Long says soon after he bought his shop at 422 First St. last year, he began thinking about what he could to help the community.

With a nod to the city’s Dog Day by the Bay event, Long and his wife, Karen Baltier-Long, contacted local animal rescue shelters to see if they were interested in coming to the shop with adoptable dogs.

This weekend, their planning will come to fruition as Pups ‘N’ Purrz hosts three Bay Area animal shelters and a herd of special furry friends, all available for adoption.

“People thought (Dog Day by the Bay) was catchy,” Long said of the city event that was canceled this year. “I’m taking off of that to give back to the community, and to give back to the shelters.”

Long and Baltier-Long have three adopted Chihuahuas. Molly, their shop dog, 9, came to the couple from the Pittsburg group Umbrella of Hope; Leila, 7, and Margo, 11, came from the Humane Society of the North Bay, based in Vallejo.

Baltier-Long saw Molly at an adoption event in Danville, and “we bonded,” James Long said.

The couple knew, too, that Molly’s chances of finding a “forever” home were slimmer than for younger dogs.

“Senior dogs are the ones that people do not want to adopt,” Long said. “Because they’re old, have health problems … they don’t want to deal with it. They’d rather have the young puppies.

“It’s the senior ones that are being sent away to be put to sleep.”

In many ways Saturday’s adoption event is a culmination of the Longs’ year-long efforts.

Their shop hosted Vallejo-based Any Dog Rescue every Thursday during downtown’s Farmers Market from late August to mid-September, and the Humane Society has brought dogs for adoption every Saturday since Aug. 17.

After talking with an Umbrella of Hope organizer who expressed interest in coming to Benicia, too, Long said he had the idea to contact other shelters as well.

And a final incentive: a one-time 10-percent discount on store purchases for those adopting a dog.

If You Go
Three shelters will bring small- to medium-sized dogs to Adoption Day by the Bay on Saturday at Pups ‘N’ Purrz, 422 First St. Umbrella of Hope will have 10-15 dogs from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Humane Society of the North Bay will be there with three to five dogs from 1:30-3:30 p.m.; and Mission Pawsible will wrap up the day with three to five dogs from 2:30-4:30 p.m.