11th Hour Rescue's Puptoberfest Shares Ties With Centenary

Fall is festival season and around Hackettstown there are plenty to choose from. The typical list of festivals includes apples, pumpkins, crafts, frights and Oktoberfests, to name a few. This year, a local animal rescue joined the list of fun festivals and sponsored Puptoberfest, where you could bring your furry friend, or meet your new best furry friend.

Actually, this is the 21st year that Eleventh Hour Rescue (EHR) of Succasunna has hosted Puptoberfest–their biggest pet adoption event of the year–at Horseshoe Lake Park in Succasunna on Saturday, Oct. 4. However, this is the first year that our Jessica Rosano, director of Residence Life, offered to take students to the event.

Rosano has a personal tie. Meet Nala, Rosano’s new fur friend, an Eleventh Hour Rescue alumni dog.

Nala and Jessica Rosano (Director of Residence Life)

“I adopted Nala in December 2024,” said Rosano. “I had been looking for a dog for a little over a month. My sister and some family friends had adopted from Eleventh Hour and recommended this rescue organization. I was on the website one day and saw Nala. She was the perfect size and I thought why not set up a meeting? I went the following Saturday with my mom and it was love at first sight. She went home with me that day. She has been a huge support to me on challenging days. She is always happy to see me and is a lovebug.”

Staff writer Carmella Vitel joined Rosano at the event.

“Attending Puptoberfest has to be one of my favorite memories from this semester,” said Vitel. “Even though the heat that day would make anyone cranky, it was hard not to smile at all the adorable dogs. I wasn’t in the market for a third dog, but I almost gave into those puppy dog eyes as I wanted to take all of them home. The walking trail by the water was so beautiful and peaceful. It instantly made me want to bring my own furbabies for a stroll and dress them up for the costume contest!”

It was a picture-perfect and unseasonably warm fall day for Puptoberfest 2025.  About 3000 people attended the event and many brought their dogs in Halloween costumes, according to Ann Preneovost, EHR secretary. Festival goers enjoyed the fare from six food trucks, and had the opportunity to purchase pet products from over 60 vendors. Over 100 volunteers from Eleventh Hour ensured the event ran smoothly.

Of course, the main event was the 50 adorable adoptable dogs and cats kept comfortable under two large event tents. At the end of the event, 25 lucky dogs found their furever home, including one that went home with Cyclone Chronicle adviser, Janet Zatta.

Eevee and Janet Zatta (Adviser, The Cyclone Chronicle)

“In 2012, my son brought home a rescue pittie from college in Philly,” said Zatta. “Although I definitely didn’t want her–after all she was a Pitbull–Princess Patton the Pitbull became a beloved family pet until her passing last November. It took some time, but I needed another furbaby. However, I have never picked out my own dog; they always somehow arrived at my doorstep. 

“So, where to begin? I had some criteria; a rescue, a pittie, a female, on the small side and a different color than my sweet, jet- black Patton. I zeroed in on a local rescue, Eleventh Hour Rescue. On my first visit, I was overwhelmed by the sadness of each dog’s story; they all needed a loving home. But I noticed Eevee, a very gentle, small, sleek gray pittie. She checked all the boxes and stayed in my thoughts over the summer.  

“Still, I needed a sign. I looked everywhere and while having coffee on my deck one morning, focused on the whimsical deck ornament I had bought early in the spring, long before I met Eevee; a little gray dog wearing silly yellow rainboots. It was her! I had my sign.

“For reasons I cannot explain, she was still available at Puptoberfest. I believe she waited patiently for me. Three days later, I brought her home to her furever home. It’s barely been three weeks but she has slid right into her new life here with me.”

But wait; there’s more! If there is one thing we have learned at The Cyclone Chronicle it’s that we love dogs! Joining the conversation is staff writer Callista McKeon, who also adopted a dog from EHR. Here is her adoption story.

Brooklyn and Callista McKeon (Cyclone Chronicle Staff Writer)

“The first dog I ever adopted was seven years ago at Eleventh Hour Rescue,” said McKeon. “My aunt told me her story; she was an all-black pittie (Pitbull) and was still so small, even though she had been at the rescue for 12 months. When we went into the room to meet her, she was very happy wagging her tail, and we chose her. The rescue volunteers said she was unwanted because she looked too much like a Pitbull but she was perfect!  Sadly, Pitbulls and black dogs are often the last to get adopted.”

Eleventh Hour Rescue, founded in 2004 by the late Linda Schiller, is a primarily volunteer-based (over 600 volunteers), no-kill shelter located in Morris County that saves animals (over 50,000 and counting)  on death row from overcrowded high-kill shelters, as well as taking in strays and owner surrenders before they go to shelter.

Most of the dogs come to New Jersey from Texas via Lonestar Transport Dogs, also featured at Puptoberfest. “This group works tirelessly to save dogs and sees hope where others might see heartbreak,” said Kelly Miller, president of EHR. Today, Lonestar saves, fosters and sends dogs solely to EHR.

At EHR, animals who are literally facing their eleventh hour, receive medical attention and a place to live as they pass through the organization’s extensive adoption services in hopes of finding a second chance at a happy and fulfilled life.

EHR holds weekly dog and cat adoption open houses at their Roxbury Mall Event Center on Route 10 East in Succasunna. Dogs are featured on Wednesdays from 4-7 p.m. and Saturdays from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Cats are featured on Sundays from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.

For more information on adoption, fostering, or donating to EHR, check out www.ehrdogs.org

Although a year away, Rosano already has plans for more Centenary involvement in next year’s Puptoberfest.

“My hope is to get a group together next year to volunteer at Puptoberfest,” said Rosano. “There were so many volunteers at the event from helping with parking, to setting up and cleaning up, to working with the adoptable animals. Another Centenary community member mentioned to me that they heard Centenary students volunteered at this event in the past, and I would like to reintroduce that tradition.”

“Eleventh Hour is a great rescue and I may be biased because that's where I adopted Nala from, but I think Puptoberfest would be a great event for students who love animals and for students looking to volunteer, " said Rosano. 

Eleventh Hour Rescue. Until all the cages are empty.