PETFEST Raises Awareness for Animal Services in Antioch

A celebration of pets and their owners occurred this past Saturday at the Antioch Animal Services facility. With over 30 vendors, hundreds of attendees were provided information about animals, adoptions, and animal services available to local residents.

Monika Helgemo, Supervisor of Antioch Animal Services  stated the event took bout 5-months of planning while the event was not just limited to cats and dogs, but also included birds, reptiles, goats, rabbits, rats, pigeons.

“We have a little bit of everything for every pet lover,” said Helgemo.

The event was created to raise awareness of not only Antioch Animal Control Services, but to help make the community aware of all the community service groups who provide services and volunteerism towards animals.

“The ultimate goal is to educate people that we are here and the different groups that are here and that there are so many homeless animals in the community,” explained Helgemo. “We need more educating out here in this community from cats to lose dogs. Keep your dog fenced in. Dogs should not be backyard animals, they jump the fence, dig out, they get bored. They should be with their family.”

Helgemo was pleased with the turn out, but stressed the importance that Animal Control Services should be the last option when removing a pet from a home and instead should look to work with community groups as a first option.

Two of the biggest reason people give up their animals are they are because of moving or a new baby.

“A lot of time people move and that there are many places people can move with animals. We have a list of places that accept pets that we can provide to anyone who walks into our facility,” explained Helgemo. “If you have a baby, we can provide tips and get acclimated to the baby. There are a lot of things people can do if they want to put effort into it. We like this to be the last resource for somebody to leave their animal.”

Animal Control provides services to Antioch such as lose dog rescue, calls for services, cruelty cases, complaints such as barking dogs or roosters, and rescue dogs. They are on a tight budget with just one supervisor, 3 animal control officers, and 5 animal care tenants

Assemblyman Jim Frazier (D-Oakley) was on hand to show his support of animals. He stated the importance of many community groups who assist animal control services in helping rescue animals and finding loving homes.

Booths Included

• 4-H Club
• Animal Rescue Recon
• Bad rap
• Banfield Veterinary Hospital (Antioch)
• Bark
• Contra Costa SPCA
• Contra Cost County Rabbit Rescue
• DASH
• Delta Dog Camp
• East Bay Emergency Veterinary Clinic
• East Hills Veterinary Hospital
• Friends of Animal Services
• HALO
• HARP
• Mick-a-Boo Bird Rescue
• Mission Possible
• Mollys miracle Mutts Therapy Dogs
• Nor Cal Boxer Rescue
• NORSLED
• Pet Food Express
• Petsmart (Pittsburg)
• Pug Rescue of Sacramento
• Janenes Embroidery
• K9 Paw Print Rescue
• Rattie Ratz Rat Rescue
• The Dog Spot Rescue
• Throw ME a Bone Rescue
• TND Photography
• Yellow Neener Photography
• United States Wolf Refuge

Food Vendors included:

• Best of Show Hot Dogs (& more)
• Snow Shack
• Stone Gold Creamery
• Jamba Juice

You can like Antioch Animal Control by visiting their Facebook Page. This page has a lot of nice information plus many more photographs of the event.

Antioch Animal Services is located at:
300 “L” Street, Antioch – Tel (925) 779-6989