This "Event" is going on at the Hartford Expo Center over the weekend:
http://shelterpetexpo.com/

Interesting idea, but I'm wondering how many of these critters will end up back with the SPCA eventually.

Anybody else heard of this sort of thing in their areas and how did it work out?

A lot of events like this just take applications at the actual event and contact people later....

Although I have heard of flat out adoption fairs where you come with money, pay the fee, walk away with a pet. Not much different than going to the dog pound and paying the fee to adopt a pet there - the shelter in Charlotte NC doesn't require any checks apart from if you rent, they require proof from the landlord that you have paid a pet deposit and that the pet you are adopting falls within the landlord's guidelines of acceptable pets.

I watched the videos and one couple said they were pre approved but in another section they said you just pick out your puppy carry them up to the counter and pay your fee and take your puppy home

I heard that too but maybe they meant if you were pre-approved. I hope so. So many people get caught up in the rush of such an event without thinking it through, those dogs are often returned, or worse.

Our local shelter gave up on applications a few years back and it has been so sad. Once they are adopted, and returned a few times, they euthanize the dog saying "something is wrong with the dog". It is not fair because often they are adopted to the completely wrong person in the first place. Needless to say, I no longer volunteer there. I used to put in 40 hours a week training dogs and doing adoption counseling. Now, I can't stand the heartbreak.

It is great to get so many dogs adopted but hopefully efforts are being made to do proper placement. I am personally no longer in the boat that thinks any home is better then none. That is simply not true.

Absolutely agree Inga. Too many people get caught up in adopting "the cutest one" or "that one that looked at me with puppy eyes"... and too many like the look of a breed and do little to no research. My first "on my own" dog was a Golden... and we were absolutely the wrong fit.

There's something like that going on here this weekend too.
http://www.petfiesta.org/