Pet carnival to honor animal-loving spirit of Batavia 10-year-old

When it came to animals, Luke Laudolff's curiosity always got the better of him.

Ever since he could walk, when he saw any animal, from a big dog to a small bug, he would get curious and ask questions.

The 10-year-old Batavia native volunteered a lot of his time at Anderson Animal Shelter in South Elgin, caring for and singing to the shelter's dozens of cats.

So when he drowned while on vacation in Michigan on July 19, 2007, a family friend knew how to honor him: a pet carnival.

"We are trying to keep his memory alive and his spirit of his love for animals," said Bobbi Panter, a friend of the family for more than 15 years and owner of a line of pet products since 2003. "He was just a real dear boy and did love all different animals."

The first Luke Laudolff Pet Carnival runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 12 at the Geneva PetCo, 1885 S. Randall Road. The carnival will include pet beauty consultations, an animal communicator and pet contests. Donations at the carnival will benefit Anderson Animal Shelter, which will be on hand with pets available for adoption.

Panter felt helpless when she heard her friend's son had drowned.

She first wanted to put on a dog-washing event. As she spoke with customers and other resources she had built through her business, however, they suggested different attractions.

"It got bigger and bigger because it touches everybody's heart," she said. "Everybody wants to be involved and give. It's really amazing."

Luke's mother, Joanne Laudolff, said the carnival was the perfect way to memorialize Luke.

"He absolutely adored animals," she said. "It just means a lot to carry on his love and dedication for animals. He had a real connection to them."

Luke helped take care of an adopted eight-year-old Sheltie named Georgia.

When his day at Louise White Elementary School in Batavia was complete, he would walk outside and see his mom walking Georgia to pick him up.

Georgia and Luke would run at each other and meet in the field outside of the school.

"He was a very loving child," Joanne Laudolff said. "He physically hugged everybody. He wasn't afraid to show affection."

The animal shelter gave Luke another place to display his fondness for animals.

Because of his age, he could not take care of the dogs. But that didn't stop Luke from finding ways to help. He would sometimes sing to the cats. His ardent enthusiasm made him a well-known regular of the shelter.

"Everybody got caught up in that," said Sarah Hill, executive director of Anderson Animal Shelter.

The shelter has about three off-site adoption events a month. The carnival, however, gives the shelter a rare chance to be a primary benefactor. Other events are either at larger expos that include several shelters competing for adopters' attention or a non-animal focused venue or event, such as Spring Hill Mall in West Dundee.

Hill said they expect to have at least six dogs and four or five cats available for adoption at the carnival as well as photos and descriptions of all shelter dogs and a few highlighted cats.

"It's a wonderful way to give prominence to animals that are available for adoption," she said. "(Adoption events are) always a great chance to showcase our animals."

As beneficial as the event will be for the shelter, Hill made certain to stress the event will be about Luke's memory more than anything else.

Luke's love for and connection to animals made it easy for his mother and father, Paul, to agree to the carnival.

"He had an incredible affinity to them," she said. "As parents, we're trying to honor him and carry on his impact on animals and his love of that and nature."