Seminole County Animal Services Teams With UCF Athletics to Find Pets Homes

Five shelter dogs walked onto the concourse at UCF Softball Complex last Friday afternoon, and at least three of them did not go back to their kennels that night.

Seminole County Animal Services and Pet Rescue by Judy brought their animals to the UCF Softball Complex for the second "Pups at the Plex" event of the season, held ahead of the UCF Knights' home series against the Utah Utes. The pop-up adoption opened at 5 p.m., one hour before first pitch, giving fans time to meet shelter dogs in an outdoor setting where their personalities could come through before the crowd filled the stands.

Anthony Bloodgood of Seminole County Animal Services arrived with five dogs: Nala, a Staffordshire Bull Terrier mix; Leighton and Tanner, both Terrier mixes; Agape, a Maltese-Chihuahua mix; and Gypsy, a Chihuahua. By the time reporters reached him, three of the smaller dogs had already been claimed. Every adoption carried a full cost waiver.

"All the adoptions out here today are sponsored, which means if someone does want to take one home, it is no charge," Bloodgood said.

Bloodgood said the UCF Athletics partnership allows the shelter to bring animals directly to the public in a relaxed, social setting rather than waiting for foot traffic at the Sanford facility. His message to hesitant adopters was direct: "Come take them out, play with them in the yard, meet their true personalities, fall in love and take home a forever pet."

Pet Rescue by Judy added Way, Welda and Windy to the lineup, three hound mixes who drew their share of attention from fans circling the concourse before first pitch. Michelle Salaz, who has managed the Pet Rescue by Judy facility for five years, said the organization currently cares for about 100 dogs and that events like "Pups at the Plex" do more than generate adoptions; they reconnect the rescue with families who have already come through their doors.

"A lot of people were asking our process for how to adopt, and we have seen a couple here who currently have some of our dogs," Salaz said. "We get third-generation adopters and people are like, 'My grandparents, my parents, and now they are adopting,' so we do get that a lot of repeated adopters."

Salaz left a 22-year corporate career to join Pet Rescue by Judy full time, a shift she frames in plain terms: "I felt like I was making a difference."

The event is part of UCF softball's broader schedule of community programming alongside games this season. The Knights' next themed event is the "Pink Game" during the Kansas Jayhawks series, set for April 17 at UCF Softball Complex.