LAHARPE — The Allen County Animal Rescue Facility (ACARF) raised about $8,000 in a fundraiser that literally went to the dogs on Monday evening.
Internet personality Kris Rotonda, founder of Jordan’s Way, led the livestream fundraising event, using a variety of wacky antics to rile up donors and dogs alike. ACARF was the second stop on a 50-state tour that kicked off Monday.
Rotonda tapped into his national network to encourage donations as he featured the dogs available for adoption. As each financial goal was hit, more than a dozen ACARF staff, volunteers, board members and others were challenged to complete a task.
Sometimes, they got a faceful of whipped cream. A few had a bucket of colorful slime or ice water poured over the top of their heads.
Groups were trapped in dog pens until donors paid enough “bail money” to set them free.
By the end of the event, some shelter staff and volunteers even dyed their hair in bright purple, blue and turquoise.
The animals also received rewards when financial goals were hit. Dogs got hot dogs, “pup cups” filled with ice cream and more, while a roomful of cats got catnip. The animals were excited by all the attention, loudly begging for treats.
As the event wound down, so did the dogs. The final minutes of Rotonda’s video shows the animals sleeping peacefully on their beds — except for a pair of puppies who took advantage of the attention.
The event was streamed on Facebook and received 471 comments and 525 shares.
Rotonda visited ACARF in March 2021 and raised $11,000.
