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Tour for Life a Major Success, Numerous Animals Adopted in the High Country

By Katie Benfield 

This past Sunday, Apr. 9, the North Shore Animal League brought the Tour for Life to the High Country, setting up an event at the Boone Mall through which people could partake in adoption services, volunteering services and simply celebrate animals through various vendors, organizations and people. 

The adoption event is one of the largest adoption events through the Tour for Life, and according to Cathy Johnson, the owner of Mountain Dog and Friends, it’s the largest one in this region. 

“Sunday’s event went so well,” Johnson said. “Most of the dogs were adopted, and the adoptions were all so wonderful.”

The event wasn’t simply to find homes for dogs in the High Country, but it was meant to raise awareness about the amount of dogs that go homeless and/or are euthanized on a regular basis. Because North Shore Animal League is a no-kill, it was so important to find homes for their dogs so that more and more can be rescued from an early death. 

“Some people came to adopt an animal, but others came just for the awareness aspect,” Johnson said. “People like to know the different places that they can volunteer and learn all they can about rescue groups and animal organizations. They come out because they know how important it is.”

Johnson said that more than just humane societies were at this event. There were also vets, vendors, multiple humane societies and rescue groups from all over the area. 

“People will come just to support the organizations,” Johnson said. 

Each of the organizations present was working towards promoting better treatment for pets, finding permanent homes for them and encouraging better animal welfare. 

“It’s a combined effort of all the rescues and humane societies,” Johnson said. “They all come together and do everything they can for raising awareness.”

Photos by Ken Ketchie