By Alaina Denean Deshazo | The Selma Times-Journal

Children, pets and adults were dressed up in costume Saturday for the first Howl-O-Ween Carnival at Phoenix Park.

The carnival was a fundraiser for Wannabe Rescued, the Humane Society of Central Alabama and Selma Purrrfect Pals.

“I think it’s also amazing when all the rescue agencies can come together and work together to benefit everybody,” said Shannon Lynch, organizer of the event. “And that’s really something you don’t see a whole lot anywhere, and that’s probably one of the things I’m most proud of.”

The carnival had games, food and treats for kids and pets.

“It is even better than I expected,” Lynch said. “I expected it to be nice, but to actually see it and to see how hard everybody worked for just months and to see people having a good time, that’s what we wanted it to be — a good time.”

Kathy Simmons and her grandson Gray Griffith attended the carnival and she said it’s something she hopes will continue in the future.

“It’s super wonderful. He loves animals, so he’s excited about seeing them. I feel like it’s a double thing for me. I’m donating to a good cause and my grandchild is having a good time. You can’t get better than that,” Simmons said. “I just love it. They’ve done an awesome job. It’s great. Money well spent.”

Beverly Huffman, a member of Wannabe Rescued, said the carnival was a great way to get everyone together and involved in helping the animals of Selma and Dallas County.

“All three of us, we run on donations, and Selma doesn’t have an event like this where people can come out and enjoy themselves and bring their animals,” Huffman said.

Lynch said the carnival was a way to include the whole family, pets included.

“It’s really just a full-service, family-type event,” Lynch said. “I just don’t think there’s enough activities where dogs get to get out and have a good time with the people. We just wanted something to include them and to just see the animals enjoying themselves and the people enjoying themselves with their animals is [worth it].”