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CASSOPOLIS — The halls of the Cass County Animal Shelter were filled with cheerful animal lovers Saturday, as the organization hosted Christmas for the Animals.

More than 200 people attended the four-hour event, which returned for the first time since 2019. The event was canceled in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Seeing all the familiar faces return was great and to hear their success stories from the pets that they adopted from the shelter, or to just catch up on the times,” said Animal Control Director Ron Butts, who organized the event. “It makes me happy to hear that we can make a difference in finding forever homes for our shelter buddies.”

Halfway through the event, the shelter lobby was piled floor to ceiling with donated dog and cat food, laundry soap, kitty litter, bleach and other donations. Butts said the shelter collected around $3,000 that day, but donations are still coming in.

On Friday, Wallace Towing of Cassopolis donated 2,500 pounds of dog food — the second donation of this size this year. Darr’s Tent & Event Rentals, another Cass County business, donated the use of the tables and chairs for the open house.

“I am truly grateful for their very generous donations as I am with each one that has donated to the shelter in one form or another,” Butts said. “As every little bit counts, we put those donations to good use for the good of the animals we have in our care.”

Butts also thanked his staff for the hard work and preparation leading up to the event.

“Also, I’d like to thank my volunteers that helped out during the event, and they are: Undersheriff Roach, Commissioner Laylin, [Cass County Finance Director] Jennifer Rentfrow, Anna Boyd, Matthew Dodd, my wife Karen and daughter Sydney,” he said.

Commissioner Ryan Laylin said he enjoyed helping out at the event.

“It’s easy to show support for an operation that is well organized,” he said. “I heard numerous stories today from people donating, that have adopted pets out of the shelter. It was an eye-opening experience. …  It was a great turnout of community support [with] lots of supplies to help Animal Control keep operating at the top-notch level that they do.”

Donations are accepted year-round at the animal shelter, 323 M-62, Cassopolis.