SACRAMENTO, California — Instead of lighting off fireworks or grilling outside, many people spent their 4th of July evening comforting the shelter dogs at Bradshaw Animal Shelter.
It's the first year the shelter has asked for volunteers to come by and spend time with the adoptable dogs, and, according to the shelter, the evening was a huge success.
Instead of barking, the only noise filling the kennels at the shelter was the strum of a guitar or the words from a book.
"For the next two hours, I'm going to enjoy these dogs a lot," said Richard Christensen, who came with his guitar to play to the dogs.
Christensen and his wife are animal lovers, and, when they saw Bradshaw Animal Shelter ask for help, they knew this would trump any Fourth of July plan they had.
"They are really interesting. These two are very mellow, and my wife has told me I can't fall in love with them because I can't take one home," he joked.
For the night, the goal was two fold, comfort the pups but also try to get them adopted.
"Our dog is Jagger and he has been here since March and he needs a home. He's a pit bull and gray and knows how to sit," said Melissa Cannon, another volunteer.
These pups appreciated all the love that night, and the shelter hopes more people will come by to possibly give these dogs and cats a home.
"It's taught me that everybody deserves to have love and be comforted once awhile and they deserve it, even if they don't have a home," Cannon said.
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