Manlius yoga fundraiser invites community to support shelter dogs, meet adoptees

A roomful of mats and rescue dogs turned Paws & Poses into more than a novelty class in Manlius. The donation-based gathering paired an all-levels yoga flow led by Susan Marie Yoga with time to meet adoptable dogs, giving Friends of Second Chance Canine Adoption Shelter a fundraiser that doubled as an adoption introduction.

The format was simple and practical. Participants were asked to bring their own mats, which kept the event low-friction for beginners and regulars alike. A separate listing set aside 12:00 p.m. to 12:30 p.m. for the dog meet-and-greet, followed by yoga from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m., a structure that let attendees spend time with the shelter dogs before settling into practice.

That blend of movement and animal rescue fits the way Second Chance Canine Adoption Shelter has built its local presence. The shelter says it opened on October 16, 2015, to help dogs from the Central New York community by pulling them from an overcrowded Syracuse City Shelter. Since then, it says, more than 600 dogs have been adopted. The organization also says it runs completely on donations, with dogs in its care fixed, vaccinated, heartworm-tested and microchipped.

The shelter’s recent history shows why events that build visibility matter. The facility was fully operational again after a pandemic-era closure, and its grand reopening on March 4, 2024, marked a renewed push to serve stray dogs in the region. Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh highlighted the need for more kennel space, and Syracuse Police Sgt. Todd Kramer said the partnership gave the city about 16 more spots.

In that context, Paws & Poses worked as a community-facing version of shelter support. Yoga provided the draw, but the fundraiser’s real value came from its direct link to a rescue organization that depends on donations and public awareness. For people who came for a class, the adoptable dogs added an emotional layer that no studio sequence alone could create. For the shelter, the event offered a chance to raise money, meet potential adopters and keep its mission visible beyond the kennel doors.

The appeal of the format is easy to see. It welcomed different experience levels, kept the logistics light and made room for the social side of yoga, where a local class can become a shared act of care. In Manlius, that meant one Sunday session could support the dogs already in the shelter, while also helping the next adoption start with a first hello.