koconnor@thestamfordtimes.com

STAMFORD— On Saturday, May 17, the Bartlett Arboretum & Gardens will have 12 cute and cuddly visitors that need a home.

The Stamford Animal Care and Control Shelter will be having its first Dog Adoption Day on that date in coordination with the Stamford-based arboretum.

According to Laurie Hollywood, the manager of the Stamford Animal Care and Control Shelter, the shelter is very crowded and it needs to find homes for its dogs.

"When opportunity knocks we take it," said Hollywood. "We have a lot of nice dogs here who are all evaluated, vaccinated and healthy that need a home."

Hollywood says the shelter gets most crowded in the fall, when kids go to school and get rid of their summer dog, or in the spring, when kids bring home a pet after school that their parents don't want to keep.

"The shelter is overcrowded almost all the time," said Hollywood. "I think people don't always realize what is involved with taking care of a dog, it's a lot of work."

At the dog adoption event, Hollywood and her staff will be giving advice to people looking to adopt. They will also be helping to match the right dog with the right family or individual, said Hollywood.

"We can usually pick out the dog best suited for a person," said Hollywood. "I think one of the biggest problems is that people go for the cutest puppy and then wind up giving it back. Personality is really what makes you get along with your pet. People are too spontaneous with going out to a store and buying a puppy. It doesn't usually work out the way they think it will."

According to Rossi, the shelter does a great job matching dogs with owners, which is tricky.

The shelter is going to bring 12 dogs to the adoption day event, Hollywood said, hoping to get at least 50 percent of them adopted before the day is over.

"If the weather is nice we should do well — a lot of dogs should get adopted." said Hollywood about the event, which runs from 11 to 2 p.m. "I think this will be a fun day. It gives a little outing for families and for the animals."

The process to adopt a dog is quick and easy, she said. Event attendees can come and pick out a dog and then fill out an adoption application. Once they pass the screening process, they'll get a phone call to come to the shelter. The whole process takes about a week, said Hollywood.

The shelter, which offers free dog training classes on Wednesday nights from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., also has a Web site, www.cityofstamford.org/animalcontrol, that's constantly updated with information on new adoptable dogs. Hollywood says the Internet is the most effective tool when it comes to adopting dogs.

"We have a new pet of the week, every week," said Hollywood about the shelter's Web site. "We even evaluate the dogs on the Web site. The Internet is a great way for people to search for the type of dog they are looking for."

The Bartlett Arboretum is located at 151 Brookdale Road in Stamford. The adoption event will include live music performed by Whiskey for Breakfast, a bake sale hosted by The Happy Club and a pet supply flea market for attendees to purchase items for their new dog. Admission is $6 for adults and kids under 16 years old are free.

"I think this will be a great day, when the dogs get to come out of their cages you get to see their true personalities, which makes a difference," said Rossi. "I think a lot dogs will find a home."