Honestly, I didn’t know squat about pet galas until my neighbor Lisa dragged me to one last Saturday. She kept yapping about free treats and photo booths for dogs. My lazy bulldog Rufus usually just farts on the couch, but I figured he deserved a fancy outing.
Prepping the slobber monster
First thing Saturday morning, I wrestled Rufus into his least-stained bandana. Dug up his vaccine papers (took 20 minutes – forgot they were behind the cereal box). Threw poop bags, water bowl, and store-bought peanut butter cookies into a tote bag. Real classy setup.
Walking into chaos
Place was crawling with poodles wearing tutus and cats in strollers. Smelled like wet fur and grilled hotdogs. Rufus immediately tried mounting a surprised corgi while I fumbled with the sign-in sheet. Some volunteer handed me a swag bag full of samples – score!
What went down at the gala
We did the sniff-and-greet shuffle. Rufus got:
- Free nail clipping (dude almost lost a finger)
- Caricature portrait (made him look like Winston Churchill)
- Agility course fail (tripped over first hurdle, got belly rubs)
Meanwhile I gabbed with other owners about vomit cleanup hacks and best chews for power chewers. Picked up legit tips between swapping gross pet stories.
Why this beats pet store runs
After three hours of mayhem, I realized why these shindigs rock:
- Vet Q&A booth saved me a $120 office visit for Rufus’ weird rash
- Discount microchipping – got it done while waiting in line for burgers
- Adoption corner convinced my single friend to adopt a hissy cat
- Freebie overload – got two months’ worth of dental sticks
The ride home? Rufus snored covered in glitter with his dumb portrait in my lap. Worth every chaotic minute. Next year? Signing up for the ugly sweater contest. Already planning Rufus’ Grinch costume.
