Aaron, a furry adoptee, gets a treat at Barrow’s Intense NY Tasting Room courtyard in Industry City, Sunset Park. Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024. (Credit: Aurora Martínez)
Raising a glass for rescue, a Brooklyn tasting room and bar recently made dog adoption the new happy hour.
In partnership with Barrow’s Intense NY Tasting Room, Hearts & Bones hosted its monthly dog adoption event at Barrow’s courtyard on Dec. 7. The event is designed to facilitate dog and potential adopter interactions as shelters across the country face overcrowding and rising dog populations.
“We do believe strongly in trying to find the right match for the person,” said Romina Raglianti, Hearts & Bones’ adoption program manager.
Hearts & Bones is a foster-based rescue with dual bases in New York City and Dallas. Since last year, the organization has tried to come to Barrow’s at least once a month, bringing from 10 to 20 dogs — mostly from Texas — each time, Raglianti said.
Texas is known for having one of the highest rates of euthanasia in animal shelters nationwide, according to data from Best Friends Animal Society, a national organization that works to end the killing of cats and dogs in shelters.
Hearts & Bones offer both foster-to-adoption and adoption programs. At adoption events, people are encouraged to register prior to attending to provide information about their lifestyles and the types of dogs they’re seeking.
“We understand that not every dog is for everyone, so you can come to us, and we’re not gonna judge,” Raglianti said.
Anna Smith, a 28-year-old researcher and seasoned cat foster who lives in Sunset Park, came to the event looking for a dog that would get along with Dot, her black-and-white cat.
“She seems nervous but relatively well-behaved,” Smith said of Cynthia Erivo, named after the actress, a 1-year-old Schnauzer mix dog that Smith decided to foster with the hopes of eventually adopting her.
According to the 2024 mid-year report from Shelter Animals Count, despite the country seeing a 4.4.% decrease in dog intakes compared last year, dogs are staying in shelters for longer, which has contributed to an overall increase in the dog population within the system. The report data show that adoptions are not keeping pace with intake numbers and compared to 2023, 12% fewer dogs have been transferred from overcrowded shelters to ones with more capacity.
Amid the nationwide overcrowded shelter crisis, adoption events like the one at Barrow’s attract dozens of prospective adopters to an environment that isn’t as overwhelming and tense as local shelters, said Barrow’s Manager Alex Haskell.
“It’s really hard to make a good choice when you’re not the one at the end of a gun, but the dog is,” he said. “I feel like better matches are made outside of that situation.”
