POCATELLO — “Ammo” found a forever home, or as Animal Shelter volunteers like to call it, a “fur-ever” home, during the joint Pocatello Animal Shelter and Bannock Humane Society’s Pet Adoption Day at Phil Meador’s Subaru on Saturday.

     Ammo, a heeler cross, and Chihuahuas Stella and Tyke were among the lucky animals adopted by some of the dozens of people who crowded into the car dealership’s showroom and maintenance bay.  

    “They’re being adopted left and right,” said Subaru Sales Consultant Julie Risinger, who helped to plan and organize the event. “Eighty-five percent of Subaru owners are also pet owners.”

    Risinger said the Adoption Day event was a natural fit for the Subaru dealership.

    “I would hate to see any of these animals have to go back to the shelter,” she said. “We want all of them to get adopted.”   

    Adopted within minutes of the opening of the event was a friendly bulldog named Eunuch. Although the name prompted a chuckle or two, it was apropos since every dog or cat adopted out at the event had been neutered or spayed.

    The animals were also vaccinated and fitted with an electronic chip, so they were ready to walk out the door after the proper paperwork was done. People who adopted dogs at the event also got a break on the normal adoption fees.       

    The dogs and cats were housed in temporary cages and looked after by animal shelter volunteers as prospective pet owners milled around the premises and looked at and petted the dogs and cats — looking for that one animal that tugged at their heart-strings.

    Everyone who attended the lunch was treated to a free hot-dog lunch provided by Phil Meador Subaru and the Animal Shelter volunteers.

    At the event people could also shop for items to benefit the Shelter, including doggie blankets, Animal Shelter T-shirts, sweatshirts, and paw-print pictures made by shelter animals. Anyone who brought a donation to the event was awarded with a raffle ticket for prizes such as a $100 cash card, an iPod Shuffle, gift cards or oil changes provided by Phil Meador dealerships.   

    The Teton family are animal lovers who came to the event ready to add to their family menagerie. A surprise for Elese Teton’s son and daughter came in the form of Tyke and Stella, a Chihuahua pair of brother and sister puppies.

    “I figured it was better to adopt animals that aren’t wanted, rather than purchasing them,” Elese said.  

     From Lola, a 9-month-old fox terrier and Border collie mix, to Abby, a 4-year-old Chihuahua mix, dogs both big and small, and plenty of cats were on hand, and many found new homes with loving owners during the event. About half of the animals brought to car dealership were in the process of being adopted within the first hour of the event which lasted from noon until 5 p.m.  

    Mary Remer, Pocatello Animal Services Director, directed a team of about 40 volunteers that helped staff tables, supervise animals, do paperwork, and answer questions for prospective pet owners. Remer explained that as Subaru has donated to the ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) the ASPCA in turn provided grant money to the Pocatello Animal Shelter.

    “So we chose to have an adoption event, and we also invited the Bannock Humane Society,” Remer said. “This is the first time we have had an off-site adoption event like this. This was a great turnout.”

    By the end of the event, 13 dogs and 12 cats were adopted into “fur-ever” homes.

    “We did really, really well,” said Remer. “It is awesome to see this.”