South Bend Animal Resource Center hosting 'Patio Pups 2021' at The Lauber today

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Local businesses and a local animal shelter are teaming up to give back to the pups today!

They are hosting an adoption event at the Lauber’s Bar and Kitchen patio from 12 p.m. and will run until 4 p.m.

‘Patio Pups 2021’ is the second event taking place at the Lauber in support of the animal shelter and the community.

But, this time with a little more community support than the first event.

The Lauber creating a space for other vendors to come out and show their support.

A variety of local vendors will be giving back to the cause by donating a certain percentage of their profits to the cause.

The South Bend Animal Resource Center will also be selling one-dollar raffle tickets to give back to the pups and two lucky winners will win a basket of goodies.

The organizer and manager of the Lauber Kelsey Landsberg says they are animal lovers and that hosting the event is a way to give back and enjoy it at the same time.

“We had a lot of fun doing it and we’re looking into more community give back and that was just something we really strongly believe in. We do allow dogs in our patio so we have a lot of fun serving these people that bring their dogs and getting to hang out with these animals. It’s kind of like a perk to the job,” Landsberg said.

The volunteer coordination at the South Bend Animal Resource Center says they are off to a great start but even as the number of adoptions go up, so does the number of dogs coming in.

They will be bringing out five dogs to meet their potential humans.

The South Bend Animal Resource Center volunteer coordinator Sue Durski tells me that it’s nice to have such community support and the dogs love it too!

Last year, they found 350 homes to animals and in just a few months this year, they are at 50 adoptions so far.

She says these pop-up social events make a difference with the upbeat environment rather when people come to the shelters because people get emotional and it makes it harder to choose.

Plus, the dogs are less nervous and more genuine too

“Here at the shelter, they are completely stressed, over-stimulate, too excited, they are really amped up or really nervous. So, being out in a different environment and responding positively, really brings a new look and perspective to each animal,” Durski said.