Pets owners invited to spruce up the pooch for Halloween party
By Denise Baran-Unland For The Herald-News October 15, 2012 12:54PM
Jack Russel Terrier Milo shows off a sporty sombrero at a Will County Humane Society Halloween party. SUBMITTED PHOTOS
If you go
Will County Humane
Society Halloween Party
When: Noon to 4 p.m. Oct. 28
Where: Will County Humane Society, 24109 W. Seil Road, Shorewood
Etc: Kids and pets costume contests with prizes, grilled bratwurst, raffles, bake sale, vendors, pet demonstrations and dogs and cats for adoption
Cost: Free
Contact: 815-741-0695, visit www.willcountyhumane.com or find Will County Humane Society on Facebook
Fur Ball
When: Nov. 10. Registration and cocktails begin at 5 p.m. Dinner is at 6 p.m.
Where: Harrah’s Joliet, 151 N. Joliet St.
Tickets: $50. Reserve by Oct. 26
Contact: 815-741-0695, visit www.willcountyhumane.com or find Will County Humane Society on Facebook.
Article Extras
Related Stories
Updated: November 17, 2012 6:09AM
SHOREWOOD — Although the Will County Humane Society’s costume contest for kids and pets is open to any domesticated animal, dogs and their owners appear to enjoy it the most.
Cats are generally too fussy for costumes, although once, a woman did dress her cat as a baby and pushed her around in a stroller, said Joyce Drzal, volunteer coordinator at the center. Last year, one girl and her rabbit showed up in matching karate outfits.
“Only the girl received a prize,” Drzal said, “because we didn’t have any bunny prizes. We didn’t know any rabbits would be here.”
This year’s Halloween party will be Oct. 28 and again, kids and pets are invited to attend in costume. Drzal said adults, too, may dress up, although no prizes will be awarded to them.
Shelter dogs and cats will be available that day for guests to meet and greet. The dogs will get into the costume spirit by wearing matching bandanas. Drzal doesn’t usually dress up. She wears a Will County Humane Society sweatshirt, so guests and volunteers can find her, but there’s always the possibility she’ll change her mind.
“I might wear a bandana if we have a leftover one,” Drzal said.
As part of this year’s entertainment, members of the Joliet Police Department will bring their dogs to demonstrate various skills — such as sniffing out drugs — these trained canines have learned.
“A lot of people don’t know how these dogs are trained and that it takes a long time,” Drzal said. “It’s something to see. The dogs are very obedient.”
The Halloween party will also include a bake sale, grilled bratwursts for sale, free treat bags for the children and a variety of vendor items. Guests are invited to tour the remodeled cat space.
The large, general cat room still exists, but the shelter now has an isolation room for new kittens and cats until they are pronounced disease-free by a veterinarian and a room for cats suffering from feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV).
The society has hosted its Halloween party off and on since the 1970s. A decade ago, the event could bring in $3,000. Today it only nets about half that amount. Any money raised goes into the shelter’s fund and is used for general health care, food and upkeep of the animals.
As Will County’s first no-kill shelter, the society has a more than 40-year history of providing a safe, temporary home for homeless pets, while seeking permanent adoption arrangements for them.
It receives no federal or local funds to operate the facility and so relies on help from individuals in the community.
Another way to support the shelter is to purchase tickets to the second Fur Ball. The event, which raised more than $15,000 last year, will be held at Harrah’s Joliet.
