The Morristown Hamblen Humane Society is partnering with Morristown Parks and Recreation, which has organized its bluegrass festival for Saturday, and Petsense which is located next to the Downtown Green to try to get much needed supplies after a distemper outbreak at their shelter has wreaked havoc.

From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the shelter will host a “Stock the Shelves, Fill the Truck” drive at Petsense, collecting much-needed supplies including KMR formula, Purina Dog Chow, Purina Puppy Chow Complete, Purina Dog Chow Small Bites, Purina Cat Chow, Purina Kitten Chow, blankets, towels, toys, laundry detergent, Fabuloso and puppy pads.

“We are in desperate need,” board member Charlene Wyatt said. “It’s really taken a toll on the shelter, but the employees are doing a fantastic job taking care of the animals.”

Wyatt said she’ll be bringing Bert the Bulldog to roam the Bluegrass Festival grounds to meet and greet folks listening to that classic string band sound.

Bert was involved in a rollover accident on the interstate a couple of years ago and is a visible reminder of how the animal shelter takes care of creatures in their times of need and gets them to loving families.

To that end, the shelter will have adoptable dogs at their setup at the blugrass festival and it’s hoped some will be adopted.

With the need at the shelter being desperate right now, Wyatt said she hopes folks will rally to get supplies for the shelter.

“Bert’s friends at the shelter — they need help bad,” she said. “You know, we just we would just love to have a good day like before; the last off the shelves was phenomenal. Oh my gosh, we had the truck loaded down to the gills “I think if people know that there is a dire need they come to our rescue and we are in a desperate need. Burt is lucky and got a good home, and Burt has recovered very… we just want it to be a good day for everybody.”