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Bark in the Park

© Joy Butler

Signs of spring are peeping out everywhere here in the south. Songbirds hide among fresh new leaves to call out their joyful notes. Sweet scents of honeysuckle drift on the breeze and bright sunshine warms almost every day now. As thoughts turn to more outside activities, many shelters are planning their spring fundraisers.

These events bring in much needed money so that shelters can continue to feed and care for the homeless pets. It takes a lot of work to organize them but they are a lot of fun for dogs and their people.

It must be decided where the event will be held and what games, activities and products will be available. Sometimes business people will donate prizes, food, or supplies. After all, it's for a good cause, and they hope that pet owners will return the favor by shopping at their stores.

Our fundraiser is usually held in the city park, so it's called Bark in the Park. Last year, over a hundred dogs showed up to have fun and bark in the park!

Several booths sold doggy items such as bandanas, leashes, shampoos, and books, as well as drinks and nachos. In another area, a table was set up for doggy art. Those interested were given a clean white canvas board and three small cups of paint in their choice of colors. Then, the dog was helped to place the bottom of his foot in the paint cups so that he could walk across the canvas and make his very own personal pawprint masterpiece. For just a small fee, the proud doggy parent had a very nice keepsake!

Another booth offered nail clipping with the option of nail painting. I watched as a small gray poodle got her nails clipped and then polished with a bright turquoise color. She looked so fancy!

Someone from the dog obedience club demonstrated her dog's skills and then offered tips in training. Games such as the weenie dunking contest were fun. Everyone laughed and cheered as the dogs splashed in the water and grabbed for tasty treats! There were other simple but fun contests for the dogs to enter, too. We all laughed with surprise as a small puppy won the Fastest Eater contest when he finished up his cup of food quicker than all the other dogs, including a big yellow Labrador. A Dalmation won the Longest Tail contest and a big brown mixed breed won the Waggingest Tail. The Best Trick award went to a little dancing dog who stood up on his hind legs and twirled in circles. The crowd roared at his performance.

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