Printer Friendly Version - Animal Awareness Day Returns to Branford Oct. 2

Saving cats like Cassie is an important part of the mission of non-profit Branford Compassion Club, which is bringing back Animal Awareness Day to the Branford town green on Sat. Oct. 2, after a one-year hiatus.Photo for BCC by Melanie Stengel

After a one-year hiatus, the Branford Compassion Club feline rescue and adoption organization is bringing back the popular Animal Awareness Day to the Branford Town Green on Sunday, Oct. 2, rain or shine.

It's a fun day from noon to 4 p.m. with activities for all ages, including live music, children's activities with Branford Art Center and The Drunken Palette of Westbrook, food truck, live animals, kissing booth, bake sale, booths featuring a variety of animal care and rescue groups, businesses, vendors whom area pet owners patronize to give their animals the best life possible, plus many surprises.

The highlight of the day, as always, will be the Blessing of the Animals at 1:30 p.m., which is why the event is always held as close as possible to the Feast Day of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of all animals.

In past years, dogs, cats, gerbils, horses, rabbits, birds and more have made their way through the line, and those who couldn't make it in person often were represented in photos. It's a gleeful as well as touching part of the day.

This year, courtesy of the Stony Creek Quarry, visitors also will get the chance to bring home a unique piece of town history. The quarry has donated pieces of its famous pink granite, available for $25, with or without paw prints, with all proceeds going to BCC. Donors who give $50 or more will get a guided tour of the quarry, and a $250 or more donation will receive a one-on-one tour of the Mesozoic Age gorge, which is rarely open to the public (cash or checks only, payable to Branford Compassion Club).

Animal Awareness Day is made possible through the generosity of donors and the following sponsors: In Memory of Dan Cosgrove, c2c Graphics, East Shore Veterinary Hospital, K & G Graphics, Pet Shield Veterinary Hospital, Stony Creek Quarry (platinum); Branford Building Supplies, The Sound (gold); Guilford Savings Bank, Nautical Needles, Pawson Insurance, Premier Subaru, Shoreline Pet Lodge, Amanda Skinner and Kalter Blauvelt, The Zablan Family (silver); Alternative Dental Laboratory, Branford Veterinary Hospital, Mill Pond Veterinary Hospital, Physical Fitness of Branford, David E. Schancupp, Esq., Veterinary Associates of North Branford (bronze).

The Branford Compassion Club, founded in 1997, raises awareness about the importance of spay-neutering felines, educates about kindness to animals, aids in the adoption of homeless cats, and cares for those deemed unadoptable in area feral colonies maintained by BCC volunteers. The Feline Rescue & Adoption Center, which opened in 2011, has found homes for more than 1,200 cats.