Puppy Palooza: Cooper City Teen Council Hosts First Annual Dog Adopt-A-Thon

BY KYLE NELSON

On April 22, Cooper City’s memorial park was filled with dogs ready for a new home.

Created by the Cooper City Teen Council and led by senior Nicole Pardon, the Dog Adopt-a-Thon was introduced as a way for Cooper City citizens to become involved with their community and welcome a pooch into their family. Additionally, Cooper City Recreation Department Program Specialist Felicia Trainor worked with the Teen Council for months in preparation for the event.

With over 12 adoption agencies and rescue facilities, those who stopped by were greeted with a plethora of dogs from puppies to full grown adults. One of the rescue facilities present was Will’s Way, run by local psychologist Frona Ross, who found her inspiration for opening up a rescue when she was able to combine her love of helping children and dogs when she found a link in treatment with the use of canines. Ross explained that in the past, she has had patients where she has used a treatment method with both the dog and the child.

“My brother is the mayor so I recruited a lot of adoption agencies to be here today and it is something great to be a part of,” Frona Ross, Owner of Will’s Way Dog Rescue said.

Event planning was led by none other than Cooper City High School’s students.

“The event took a lot of planning and we put a lot of work into it,” Cooper City Teen Council member Kimber Counts said. “It was all worth it in the end because multiple dogs got adopted and everything ran smoothly. Overall I was very proud and I hope it is just as successful next year.”

Food trucks, live music and performances from dance studios all around Cooper City kept residents entertained. Along with the ambience, the stage served as a way for adoption agencies to showcase their dogs and give some backstory on each animal.

All in all, multiple families in Cooper City found pets that they had been looking for. The event found homes for multiple dogs and was seen as a success by Pardon.

“I think the event has gone really well. I love seeing all the families’ faces when they find a dog that they like and decide to take home,” Pardon said. “It also is so great for the dogs because they all deserve a happy and healthy home.”