Defenders of Animals will host the 30th Annual Homeless Animals Day in coordination with the International Society for Animal Rights on Aug. 17. The event serves as an opportunity for animal advocates to band together to promote adoptions and promote low-cost spaying/neutering of cats and dogs.

Defenders of Animals, which began a 46-year journey of caring for and defending the rights of animals in April of 1978, will hold its Homeless Animals Day/Candlelight Vigil/and Humane Heroes Award Ceremony and raffle at the Governor Sprague Mansion, located at 1351 Cranston St. in Cranston event on Saturday, Aug. 17. The ceremony will be held outdoors (indoors if it rains) from 7 to 9 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.

Attorney Mark B. Morse, past president of the Rhode Island Bar Association and Recipient of the Dorothy Lohmann Public Service Award, presented by The Rhode Island Bar Association for work with Defenders of Animals, will be the master of ceremonies.

Guest speaker will be Kate Maloney, vice president and volunteer at the North Kingstown Animal Shelter & Support Foundation. The volunteer organization operates the North Kingstown Animal Shelter.

The event will feature entertainment by Scarlett, a two-piece acoustic band based out of Rhode Island covering top hits from the ’60s to today.

The statewide all-volunteer organization founded by Dennis and Patricia Tabella works to defend the rights of both companion animals and wildlife through education, legal and legislative activism.

Defenders of Animals worked with Rep. Charlene Lima and former State Sen. John J. Tassoni on enacting a statewide ban on the gas chamber that was used to euthanize cats and dogs at both municipal shelters and private shelters in the Ocean State and on the mandatory spay/neuter of cats law.

Defenders of Animals has been recognized by Rhode Island’s state legislature for the organization’s work on protective legislation for both domestic animals and wildlife in Rhode Island.