Meet Marshall. He is almost 1 year old and weighs about 70 pounds.
His adoption paperwork says, "I'm happy, silly and playful. And I'll get bigger."
Marshall, a mastiff mix, was one of about 200 dogs, 30 cats and five rabbits at the PetSmart Charities Second Chance for Love Adoption Weekend held Friday, Saturday and Sunday in Butler plaza.
Local animal rescue groups and their volunteers work with PetSmart to promote adoptions every weekend and during four annual adopt-a-thons per year that feature almost all the available animals.
The adoption goal for this weekend was 150, said Amanda Macleod, 39, operations manager at PetSmart in Gainesville. The number of adoptions was not available.
Many of the animals up for adoption have been "returned" to rescue groups because their families could no longer take care of them because of the state of the economy.
Brinkley, a 6-year-old Afghan hound, had to be picked up in Orlando by the director of Helping Hands Pet Rescue, said Bob Ryan, 59, a volunteer. Brinkley's previous owner had lost his job and was selling his furniture in order to earn money, Ryan said.
But Saturday, Brinkley found a new home with Amanda Webster, 29, of Gainesville.
"I'm just happy that we're able to pick him up and give him the same kind of love and devotion that he's used to," Webster said.
Big or small, young or old, the rescued animals are given a full medical exam, are spayed or neutered and receive any medical attention they need. Most are also given microchips and flea-and heartworm-prevention medication, covered by adoption fees ranging from $100 to $200.
These services are also part of promoting the bigger mission of proper animal care, said Ryan Walczak, a volunteer and member of the board of directors at Puppy Hill Farm Animal Rescue.
"Not only are we here to save lives, we're here to promote animal welfare," Walczak said. "Even if you don't adopt from us, we're a big community. We're doing our job if we can convince someone to adopt from an animal rescue."
