There were plenty of pets (rabbits included) and their owners lined up to get a photograph with the Easter bunny at the Humane Society & Shelter SouthCoast’s first Easter Basket Extravaganza Saturday afternoon.

Proceeds from the event benefited the shelter where cats, dogs, birds and small pets such as guinea pigs are cared for until they are adopted.

The event featured face and egg painting, pictures with the Easter bunny and bidding on a variety of baskets. Local businesses and community groups donated a total of 57 baskets.

“The support has been tremendous,” said shelter manager Arianna Silva. She added that the shelter plans to make the event an annual tradition.

Currently the shelter houses 16 dogs and 16 cats, but that number will spike into the hundreds in the coming months as warm weather approaches, Silva said.

Crystal Fonteneau of New Bedford, and her daughter Jenney, arrived with a pet cat and bunny in tow for a photograph. They left with a new addition to the family after adopting another rabbit, named Lafayette, on Saturday from the shelter.

“Lafayette has been here for seven months and he’s coming home with us today,” Crystal said. “I fell in love with him.”

For more information on the Humane Society & Shelter SouthCoast, click here.