Families find forever friends at state fairgrounds

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – Thousands of people packed the Indiana State Fairgrounds on Saturday to find a forever friend.

The third annual Indy Mega-Adoption Event offered more than 1,000 cats and dogs for adoption for $30 each, which is less than half the price normally charged in some area shelters.

The line to be admitted into the building to look at the animals stretched from the front door and extended around the building.

Ryan Draper said, “I’m here to adopt a dog. I’ve always had dogs growing up and I really loved them and so I’m looking for a forever friend to take home with me today.”

While Draper was standing in line waiting to go inside to find his forever friend, Mike Mills was walking out with his newest pet on its leash.

Mills said, “Oh, he’s awesome! Absolutely awesome! Very laid back, adorable, very affectionate. He loved everybody in the family. After about five minutes we knew he was a keeper.” Mills also said, “We just recently had a dog pass away, a good family pet for a lot of years, and we decided we needed a replacement and that we’d do a replacement instead of getting a puppy.”

The Mega Adoption Event is a way to get animal out of shelters and prevent them from possibly being euthanized.

Megan Bennett with FACE Animal Clinic said, “About 20 years ago we were killing about 20,000 animals a year in Indianapolis. Last year we were just around the 3,000 mark. So, we’re getting better.”

The adoptable animals featured at the state fairgrounds varied in sizes and breed, but all of them were microchipped, spayed and neutered.

The Indy Mega Adoption Event was also scheduled to continue on Sunday, June 21 from 11 a.m.- 7 p.m.

A second event is scheduled for October 2015.