ALTON – As Bob Barker's iconic line went: “Help control the pet population. Have your pets spayed or neutered.”
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This is the ethos of SNIP Alliance, a group of people helping low-income Madison County pet owners afford to fix their pets. As of now, SNIP Alliance has helped clip as many as 6,000 dogs and cats with 40-60 of them occurring per weekend clinic. In order to continue their mission, the group is embarking on more community outreach. Board member and Clinic Operations Advisor Stephanie Schrage said the group is even looking for more board members to fill recent vacancies as well as volunteers.
Part of that community outreach includes a “Canine Carnival” to be held at the Alton Farmers' and Artisans' Market at the intersection of Landmarks Blvd and Henry St. It will take place on Sept. 29 at the market, which last from 8 a.m. - noon.
The carnival, which is open to all area puppers, doggos and pupper doggos, will include a pet parade at 10 a.m., a costume contest immediately following that at 10:30 a.m., a pet food donation drive for the Riverbend Pet Food Pantry, which is currently operated by SNIP Alliance, and pet-related booths as well as an “adopt-a-thon” for potential pet owners.
“We will also have a prize wheel for the kids and a duck pond,” Schrage said. “This is our way of getting out there into the community and letting people know who we are and what we do.”
Another community outreach being done on behalf of SNIP Alliance is Barktoberfest on Oct. 12 at Bluff City Grill, located at 424 E. Broadway at 7 p.m. That event is $5 and includes a beer tent, Morales Tacos stand, a 50/50 raffle, and live music performed by Jonathan Baker from 7-8 p.m. and Lady Luck from 8:30 -10:30 p.m.
There will also be a water pong tournament (which is basically beer pong, only with water instead of beer, so it's fun for the entire family) with a $40 team buy-in, which also starts at 7 p.m.
Anyone interested in joining the SNIP Alliance as a board member or a volunteer is asked to contact Schrage at sschrage@snipalliance.org or at (618) 567-7520.
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