Those who love poker, boating and pets will have a cause to unite around this weekend.

The Concordia Animal Welfare Shelter and Rescue will host a poker run at 2 p.m. Sunday on Lake St. John, CAWS Director Lisa Smith said.

The run will have six different piers. Each pier will be open for 45 minutes.

Players will travel from pier to pier and collect a single card at in a sealed envelope at each pier. Once they have collected six cards, players will return to the dock, where their envelopes will be opened by event judges.

Once all of their cards are open, players will select the best five of their six cards and make a poker hand, Smith said.

Awards will be given for first through fifth place.

The event will last until 6:15 p.m., and will cost $25 per hand.

Players must collect their cards by watercraft, but it’s not limited to boats, Smith said.

“It’s good to go as long as it floats,” she said.

Pets can also play for prizes, but in case of excessive heat, they only have to make it to the first pier. Owners can continue to play for them after that, Smith said.

Pets will play free of charge.

Last year, 51 pets played, including one goat, Smith said.

“It’s a great family event,” she said.

Another poker run will be hosted Labor Day weekend.

CAWS is a non-profit animal shelter that services Catahoula, Concordia and Tensas Parish, as well as Adams County.

It facilitates animal adoptions and investigates animal cruelty cases, Smith said.

The organization hopes to eleminate the necessity to euthanize animals within the next five years, and currently needs more volunteers and toys, she said.

CAWS recently received a grant to build a kennel to serve as an evacuation center for disasters.

The group is disaster certified and serves as one of the few pet evacuation centers for north Louisiana, Smith said.

“That’s what the fundraisers are basically going for right now — the ability to house overflow” she said.