BarktoberFest 'all about the animals'

Oct. 9—SCOTT TWP. — As an influx of cats and canines continues to strain resources at Griffin Pond Animal Shelter, Sherry Crolly stressed that every dollar helps.

For a second consecutive Sunday, an outpouring of community support boosted the shelter's effort to provide care.

After generating more than $2,700 last week through a Mutts and Motors Car Show at Redline Truck and Trailer in South Abington Twp., Crolly, the shelter's development director, hoped to collect between $15,000 and $20,000 from the second annual BarktoberFest at Maiolatesi Wine Cellars.

The funds will help defray the roughly $20,000 cost of a new veterinary clinic — a significant investment enabling animals to be treated directly at the shelter.

"Before the clinic was built, we would get animals in really critical need that would have to go to an emergency vet," Crolly said. "All those prices have tripled or quadrupled. Even the cost to spay or neuter a dog has tripled."

The already packed facility became even more crowded when the shelter took in 22 animals from a hoarding case in Carbondale last week, Crolly said.

"We don't have an open kennel right now for dogs," she said. "We don't even have an open kennel for cats."

Crolly said hoarding situations place a big burden on Griffin Pond — both financially and logistically.

"We're the only shelter in Lackawanna County," she said. "If we get the call, our humane officer has a moral obligation to go. All those animals need to be bedded and most of the time when they come from a hoarding situation, they need antibiotics or X-rays. At the end of the day, it's all about saving animals."

Joseph Rinish, 39, and Jessica Mislan, 27, both of Kingston, withstood some windy weather with their miniature schnauzer, Petunia, to aid the shelter.

"We usually try to keep the dog socialized by bringing her out to events and we always try to support Griffin Pond or any other charity for dogs," Rinish said. "It's a win-win for us. We're kind of maxed on dogs, so we can't really adopt but we can still support and donate."

Mislan concocted the idea to put Petunia in a wagon surrounded by plush toys in a self-made claw machine as part of the event's pet costume contest. The setup also proved practical as they stowed away purchases in the carriage.

"She gets tired walking after about an hour and we can store all the things we buy from the vendors," Rinish said.

Among the vendors was Alissa Weiss of Hawley, founder and president of PAWS of NEPA, a nonprofit serving Lackawanna, Monroe, Pike, Susquehanna and Wayne counties — launched in June — that's committed to helping pet owners pay their veterinary bills.

"We realized there was a need for financial assistance," Weiss said. "We're trying to prevent animals from being put down or surrendered due to economic reasons."

Weiss welcomes opportunities to collaborate with the South Abington Twp. shelter.

"It's nice to partner with (Griffin Pond) because they get a lot of medical surrenders," she said. "We're trying to work hand-in-hand with them — it's all about the animals."

Contact the writer: rtomkavage@scrantontimes.com; 570-348-9131; @rtomkavage on Twitter.