Humane Society of Sonoma County hopes to encourage adoptions at Sebastopol pop-up booth

Smooch a pooch or have your pup’s future read while learning more about the Humane Society of Sonoma County at the Barlow in Sebastopol on Saturday.

A booth for nonprofit organization will be set up at the Head West Marketplace, a weekend-long market for local artists and vendors.

The marketplace will be open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 6770 McKinley Street.

The goal of the booth is to raise money and spread the word about the group’s services, according to community engagement manager Nina Caputo.

“We have a lot of awesome animals to adopt right down the street,” she said, adding that the humane society also offers programs like a community veterinary clinic, a pet food pantry, dog training classes and summer camps for kids.

Caputo encourages animal lovers to visit the organization’s shelters in Santa Rosa (5345 Highway 12 West) and Healdsburg (555 Westside Road) to see the animals looking for forever homes, as adoptions have slowed in the last two months.

Shelter animals will not be at the market due to expected large crowds and high temperatures, but volunteers will bring their own pups, who work as volunteer therapy dogs at places like libraries and senior centers.

A “kissing booth” will be set up for kisses from volunteers’ dogs and a pet psychic will be available for consultations by donation. Raffle tickets for a surprise gift will be given to any visitor who gives money to the organization.

To learn more about the Humane Society of Sonoma County, visit humanesocietysoco.org.