WEST ALLIS — French bulldog rescues are bringing adoptable dogs to the annual Frenchie kissing booth at Bastille Days, the summer festival held at Cathedral Square in Milwaukee.
WATCH: Volunteer shares how Bastille Days Frenchie kissing booth raises awareness
The kissing booth is a staple of Bastille Days, which kicks off Thursday. Elizabeth, a volunteer with the rescue, said the event is an opportunity to connect with the community and raise awareness about the breed.
"I love that there's so many interesting people, things to see, great food, and I love that I have the opportunity to not only showcase these guys that are available for adoption right now through Lucky Bulldogs rescue, but we talk about all different kinds of French bulldogs and health concerns and why they're amazing family members," Elizabeth said.
Two dogs currently available for adoption, Honey and Olivia, have been with the rescue for about a month and a half. They were picked up from Dubuque, Iowa.
Because French bulldogs are a brachycephalic breed with a short palate, they cannot regulate their own body temperatures. Volunteers use a spreadsheet to rotate dogs in and out of the kissing booth throughout the day, along with cooling mats, shade, and breaks to keep them comfortable in the outdoor festival setting.
All of the rescues Elizabeth works with are volunteer-based and have no brick-and-mortar location, making foster homes critical.
"We always, always, always need foster homes because there's no brick and mortar location. So if there's an emergency situation, they don't have anywhere to go," Elizabeth said.
For those interested in fostering, Elizabeth said the process is straightforward.
"It's all volunteers that go through the applications for volunteering. But usually within a week you can find out," Elizabeth said.
French bulldog owners are also encouraged to bring their dogs to the kissing booth to volunteer time at the event.
To adopt Olivia & Honey, visit luckybulldogsrescue.org.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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