FAIRHOPE – Dog lovers will have a chance this weekend to adopt pets that were rescued from the Purple Hearted Puppies shelter in January. Over 50 dogs that survived conditions at the privately-owned Summerdale shelter – conditions that drew national attention for cruelty and inhumane treatment – can be adopted once the application process has been approved, according to Deneen Balistere, adoption coordinator for the Baldwin County Humane Society (BARC!).

Those interested in adopting one of the 50 dogs on hand Saturday at Lulu’s in Gulf Shores can begin the adoption process by making application from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

“This is the first time all these dogs have been together since we pulled them out of that hell-hole,” said Balistere in referring to the Purple Hearted Puppies shelter where over a hundred dogs and cats were rescued on Jan. 26 and where dozens more had died. “We hope people will come and see the dogs that are available and interact with them.”

None of the dogs will be taken home on Saturday as applications will be screened to ensure that the dogs are going to good homes, Balistere said. Some of the dogs available for adoption have health issues, according to Balistere. She described some of those issues as “heartworm positive, heart murmurs and blindness.” Since being rescued from Purple Hearted Puppies, the dogs and cats have been treated and cared for by local veterinarians and foster families.

Adoption events for the Purple Hearted Puppies survivors will also be held Saturday, March 17, at Pet Smart at the Eastern Shore Center in Malbis and Cahill’s Deli in Foley. Both of those adoption events will be held from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.