NATCHEZ — Four-legged friends at the humane society are hoping for more treats than tricks this Howl-o-ween.

Animal lovers will have a chance to take home a furry friend at Grace United Methodist Church’s Howl-o-ween Festival on Saturday.

The festival, which is a fundraiser for the Natchez-Adams County Humane Society, will have games and other activities for festival goers, but the real treat will be the festival’s adoption drive, the Rev. Nance Hixon said.

“People can come and have fun, but they can also meet the newest member of their family, which is really exciting,” he said. “It’s for a great cause, a really important cause.”

Furry Frankensteins and princess pooches are also invited to enter the festival’s costume contest. The entry fee is $8, and trophies will be awarded to first, second and third place contestants.

The first-place contestant will also be given a free 5×7 photograph taken at the festival. Owners can have their pets’ photos taken for $10.

Humane society board member Linda Kennon said puppies, medium and large dogs, as well as a few kittens and cats, will be available for adoption.

Kennon said she hopes to see shelter animals go home with local residents at the festival.

“About 90 percent of our adoption in the last two months have been from people our of town,” she said. “We need support from out local people, so I hope they will come out and adopt these animals. We really have some beautiful animals at the shelter now.”

The adoption fee is $45 for dogs and $35 for cats.

The humane society will schedule appointments for pets that have not been spayed or neutered and inform new owners when they can pick up their pets.

The carnival is from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. at the church located at 2 Fatherland Road.

Festival activities will include games, balloon animals, face painting and pumpkin painting. Most of the activities are free, but the proceeds from paid activities benefit solely the humane society.

For more information on pet adoption, call 601-442-4002 or go to www.natchezpetadoptions.org to view adoptable pets.