The Southern Dog Cafe and Oktibbeha County Humane Society are partnering together for Coffee and Cuddles - an adoption event at the Starkville Community Market.
The Southern Dog Cafe will be set up during the Starkville Community Market Saturday from 7:30 a.m. until 10:30 a.m. at Fire Station Park, serving free coffee and allowing shoppers to interact with adoptable dogs from OCHS.
OCHS Director of Development and Community Relations Martha Thomas said OCHS will have four to six adoptable dogs, including Kiria. a Great Pyrenees mix who has been at the shelter since January.
"Events like this are a great way to meet adoptable pets away from the shelter environment," Thomas said.
Southern Dog Cafe owner and founder Carolyn Snowden said Southern Dog Cafe started in July 2016 as Jacksonville Dog Cafe, a brick-and-mortar coffee shop in Jacksonville, Florida. She was then able to become a non-profit and purchase a truck through a grant, allowing her to travel to adoption events and serve free coffee.
"I just try to provide the setting for adopters and adoptable dogs to come together in a comfortable area where you're sitting down with them having acup of coffee versus seeing them in a shelter," Snowden said. "You get a more realistic version of who they are and their personality, and it helps you to slow down and make a good decision when you're adopting them."
Snowden said the Southern Dog Cafe also allows those who are unable to adopt to have the opportunity to interact and socialize with adoptable dogs.
Snowden said the Southern Dog Cafe is a completely volunteer-run organization, and all donations go toward their mission of connecting dogs with loving homes in a unique way.
"Of course, we would love to have some dogs adopted at the event, but even if not, we are excited to feature a few of our adoptable dogs for coffee and cuddles," Thomas said.
For more information about adopting and available pets at OCHS, call (662) 338-9093 or visit ochsms.org