A Saturday afternoon pet adoption event at the Holiday Inn Express & Suites Fort Walton Beach at Freedom Tech Center proved to be a huge success, with nine rescue dogs finding permanent homes and three additional dogs being designated for service training to support local veterans.

• The February 28 event, hosted in partnership with Road Dogg Rescue, brought together residents, vendors and animal advocates from across the area for an afternoon focused on adoption, community engagement and animal welfare awareness.

Beyond the nine onsite adoptions, three dogs will be donated to ‘Paws for Warriors,’ a nonprofit organization that trains and pairs service dogs with veterans experiencing post-traumatic stress and other service-related challenges. 

“This event demonstrated what can happen when local businesses and nonprofit organizations work together,” said Courtney Blackerby, event director for Freedom Tech Center and The Jay Odom Group. “Nine dogs went home with new families, and three more will go on to serve veterans. That is a meaningful outcome for our community.”

The turnout for the event exceeded expectations, with attendees traveling from neighboring communities including Navarre and Milton after seeing promotion for the event through social media. The event featured adoptable dogs, local vendors and food trucks, drawing steady attendance throughout the afternoon.

The adoption event was hosted at the newly constructed Holiday Inn Express & Suites located within Freedom Tech Center, a 52-acre mixed-use development in Fort Walton Beach. The development currently includes two hotels, luxury apartment residences and a two-acre public park anchored by one of the largest American flags in the region.

• Office buildings currently under construction are expected to house the future headquarters of Bit-Wizards, TalkingParents and Beast Code, along with Grow With Us Learning Academy, all scheduled to open in late 2026. Restaurant concepts are planned for future phases of the development.

Saturday’s event is part of a broader commitment by hotel officials to support local animal welfare organizations. The property recently launched a Pet Getaway Package through its website that directs 20 percent of pet fee proceeds to Road Dogg Rescue during the first half of the year. A second local rescue organization is expected to be named for the latter half of 2026 to continue the donation initiative.

Organizers noted that community-based adoption events like Saturday’s help address shelter overcrowding across the region while increasing public awareness about responsible pet ownership and long-term animal care.

For information about future community events at Freedom Tech Center, visit here.