Helen Woodward Animal Center Orphan Pets Celebrate with Special PAWmicon Weekend
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Rancho Santa Fe, CA (July 6, 2021) – For the last eight years, Helen Woodward Animal Center orphan pets have celebrated the spectacular feats of superhero adopters by paying homage to Comic-Con International with a Pop Culture-themed Dog Cosplay event entitled PAWmicon. Now, for the first time ever, Comic-Con International is including the rescue facility in its virtual July programming with a Center-hosted panel entitled Animals in Graphic Novels and Games. The virtual panel discussion, set to premiere on July 25 at 11 a.m., features Chris Ryall and Keith Arem and is hosted by Robert Rice from Omniscape. To celebrate the premiere, Helen Woodward Animal Center is throwing a PAWmicon-themed Weekend including pop-culture-named orphan pets, giveaways, photo opportunities and the highly anticipated PAWSplay Costume Competition. The media is invited to capture the fun Saturday, July 24 between 9:30 a.m. and noon at the Center Adoptions Building.
Helen Woodward Animal Center initiated PAWmicon in 2012 based on an observed parallel between orphan pets and Comic-Con attendees. While comic book enthusiasts wait all year for Comic-Con International, hoping to catch a glimpse of their favorite action-adventure stars, orphan dogs and cats at Helen Woodward Animal Center will wait a lifetime to meet their superheroes – individuals with one sole mission…to rescue an orphan pet. Planned as a cute adoption gimmick, the promotion drew the attention of fans and animal-lovers across the city, eventually blossoming into an annual event that has grown in pup-ularity and gained global attention with each passing year.
2019’s event surpassed all expectations set in its new location at the Comic-Con Museum. Although still in prep for its official opening, the Comic-Con Museum hosted the event in collaboration with Helen Woodward Animal Center with hundreds of attendees and 100% of its proceeds going to the Center’s pets and programs.
In 2020, PAWmicon planning was well underway when the pandemic hit. Too beloved an event to cancel, the experience went on-line, in partnership with the Comic-Con Museum, featuring a virtual schedule of on-line family-friendly events including panel discussions and interviews; access to an on-line PAWmicon vendor village; on-line book readings for kids with Center critters; access to augmented and web virtual reality experiences; on-line trivia rounds; an on-line PAWSplay Photo Contest and more.
This year, Comic-Con International is staying COVID-safe, once again, delaying any on-site components until later in the year. However, a July, on-line virtual experience, entitled Comic-Con @ Home, will be available for fanatics of the annual festivities, including a line-up of discussion panels featuring celebrity guests. Helen Woodward Animal Center was delighted to be accepted into the line-up with a panel focused on Animals in Graphic Novels and Games which includes Chris Ryall, Partner of Syzygy Publishing and former President & Publisher/ Chief Creative Officer at IDW Publishing. Also featured is writer/director/producer Keith Arem, CEO and president of Los Angeles-based PCB Productions. The panel is a fascinating look at the unique and special qualities that animals bring to the world of superheroes. It premieres on Sunday, July 25 at 11 a.m.
To celebrate the release of this special virtual discussion panel, Helen Woodward Animal Center is dedicating the weekend of July 23 – July 25 to PAWmicon. Pop-culture-named orphan pets, Comic-themed giveaways and adorable photo backdrops for life-saving adopters will be available all weekend long.
On Saturday, July 24 at 9:30am, the fun really ramps up as the PAWSplay Costume Competition returns in-person, to the Center’s education pavilion. Those who wish to participate can sign up here: https://my.animalcenter.org/event/pawmicon-2021/e346864. The entry fee is $10 per pup and all proceeds support the pets and programs at Helen Woodward Animal Center. Cosplayers will serve as judges and be available for photo opportunities after the contest. A Comic-themed Kid’s Craft will be available for younger attendees and a Coffee Cart and Shaved Ice will also be on site for sweets and treats.
Limited-edition PAWmicon t-shirts will also be available online soon: https://www.bonfire.com/store/helen-woodward-animal-center/. Proceeds support Helen Woodward Animal Center pets and programs. At its core, this unique event has one life-saving mission: To inspire individuals to perform a superhero action of their own and adopt an orphan pet. Upon adoption, these furry sidekicks will quickly reveal their own superhero abilities to save us right back.
For more information about PAWmicon, visit www.animalcenter.org or https://myz.animalcenter.org/event/pawmicon-2021/e346864. For more information about the Comic-Con Museum, visit www.Comic-Con.org/Museum.