MARIETTA — Cobb County Animal Control is asking for the community’s support in its efforts to win this year’s nationwide American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals $100K Challenge.

The shelter will host its second Adopt-a-Thon from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday to help in its race to win the challenge. Events include raffle prizes, music, food, local vendors, local rescue groups and police K-9 and trainer demonstrations. The shelter is located at 1060 Al Bishop Drive off County Services Parkway in Marietta.

The 2011 ASPCA $100K Challenge is a nationwide competition involving 50 agencies that’s aimed at getting more cats and dogs adopted or returned to their owners.

The agency that saves the largest number of additional cats, kittens, dogs and puppies beyond the minimum 300 wins the $100,000 grand prize grant. The agency that saves the second largest number of additional animals earns the $25,000 second place grant. And the agency in each of five geographic regions that saves the largest number of additional animals earns a $20,000 Best in Region grant.

The challenge runs from Aug. 1 to Oct. 31.

“The concept is just to get more animals adopted and shelters to try new things to get more animals adopted,” said Don Bruce, Cobb Animal Control manager.

At last month’s Adopt-a-Thon, 62 animals were adopted out in one day, a record for the shelter. On Saturday, there will be between 500 and 600 cats and dogs available. The price for a vaccinated, spayed or neutered animal will be $80, discounted from the usual $110. Throughout the day, there will be announcements for special adoption rates.

“The community can see that we are a family-friendly place,” said volunteer Fran Jackson of west Cobb.

“We have many pure-bred animals and house-trained animals,” she said. “We can probably cover any of your requests as far as adopting a particular type of dog or cat. We just want the community to come to the facility, have some fun and see that this is a new era in what we’re trying to do, and that is, connect with the community because that’s one of the most important ways to get animals adopted.”

With more and more people having to give up their pets after losing their jobs or homes, adoptions are needed now more than ever, said Jackson, who vividly remembers her first adopted dog, a Shetland Sheepdog. Some days, the shelter takes in 80 animals and only adopts out 15 of them, she said.

“It’s just staggering when we see how many come in the door and how few on some days go out the door. Rescue can only do so much, and we can only do so much,” Jackson said.

“We desperately need the public to come out and we need them to adopt animals.”

A third Adopt-a-Thon is scheduled for Oct. 8.

If you adopt an animal from Cobb County Animal Control during the Challenge period, you can send in photos and/or videos of your new pet and help the shelter win even more money if your picture or video wins.