Sunday in Union Square is the big Adoptapalooza event—nearly 300 adorable dogs, cats and rabbits from 40 different shelters will be up for adoption (and fostering) from noon until 5 p.m. You can browse through all the available animals here and here (some of whom will be at the event, all of whom are at shelters in the nearby area and need good homes), but we've picked out some particularly adoption-worthy dogs for you above. You can also see a video of last year's event below.

Of particular note is Jigsaw (the first photo above), an adult male Cocker Spaniel from Flushing. If you're familiar at all with pet adoption websites, you know most animals come with short descriptions from their former owners/shelter workers—usually they give you a brief overview of how the dog is with other dogs, children, any behavioral problems, etc. Sometimes they're precious and cutesy, sometimes they're very businesslike, and sometimes they're heartbreaking missives from the perspective of the animal. Jigsaw decidedly falls into the latter camp:

My name is Jigsaw and sometimes I feel like my life has fallen into a million little pieces and I just need help putting them all back together again.

It all started when I was taken away from my home. You see, my Mommy died and nobody else in the family wanted to keep me. I was "too much trouble," I heard my Mommy's son say and so, he took me to a very strange place for pets like me that nobody wants. I heard them ask Mommy's son if I had any medical problems and he said, "No." I barked and barked to tell them that I have epilepsy and need my medicine, but nobody listened. I was put into a cage and I was so stressed, confused, and beyond heartbroken that I began to have seizures. I heard a worker call me "un-adoptable." I felt hopeless and tried to prepare myself to join my Mommy, but then I heard her voice tell me it's not my time yet. She said I have to bring joy and happiness to other Mommies and Daddies. She said she'd look over me to make sure I would not die too soon.

Soon after, I was whisked away again but this time to an animal hospital for medical treatment. I heard workers say I was going to an animal rescue. I couldn't believe it- how lucky I was! Mommy was right all along! Now, I'm on daily medication for my condition which is inexpensive and I feel so much better already. I'm ready to leave the hospital and begin to heal my broken heart. I still have a lot of love left in me to give to another family, and so I am anxiously awaiting my next home. I have been neutered, microchipped, I'm current on all shots and I've tested negative for heartworm. If you would like to bring me home, please email rescue@nyabandonedangels.com or visit http://www.nyabandonedangels.com/, where you can complete and return an on-line application. Please, won't you give me a chance and help me put my pieces back together forever?

It doesn't matter that it's manipulative, and kinda weird to write from a dog's perspective like this: someone needs to adopt this dog tomorrow.

In addition to all that, Rock & Rawhide will be collecting monetary, linen and toy donations all day; you can also bring your pet to get micro-chipped for $25 by the Mayor's Alliance, or get a dog license from the Department of Health for $8.50. At the very least, you can always go and spend some quality time with the animals for the afternoon. If you do so, please find Jigsaw and give him all the treats.