Happy dog at the Dawg Walk

A local animal shelter put on a Dawg Walk and Pet Faire event Saturday. My pet-sitting company bought booth space so I went to work the event and promote the company and the pet publications I work on. It was a beautiful day and there was an excellent turnout.

I must have petted over 100 dogs! At least that many participated in the Dawg Walk, which raised funds for our local no-kill shelter. It was great to see how much the dogs were enjoying themselves. The sponsors had planned well and there were many drinking stations set up, which was good since it really warmed up as we approached noon.

I particularly enjoyed the diversity of dogs at the event. Two Afghan Hounds came and sat by me in the shade. There was a harlequin Great Dane puppy who was playing with a Chihuahua. There were lots of Lab and Golden Retrievers, and a beautifully groomed Miniature Poodle who tried to swim in the drinking bowl. She managed to get two feet in the bowl before her mom lifted her out. And two brown-spotted Dalmatians stopped by our booth, one of whom was deaf but it didn’t slow him down.

German Shepherd pup

My booth was next to a German Shepherd Dog rescue organization. They had some adorable puppies they were adopting out who touched my heart. Other rescue groups included Chihuahuas and Westies. The local reptile group was there showing several boas and some monitor lizards. The wild bird rescue group had two owls, a falcon and a red-tailed Hawk that you could see up close. There was even a possum on display.

The groups come to these events because it offers them a chance to meet animal lovers and raise money. I was happy to see all the groups were getting donations at a steady pace, and the public was getting educated about wild animals and pet care.

A tired Dachshund

The best part though was talking to people who share my passion for animals. The love they felt for their dogs was obvious, as was the way their dogs felt about them. I saw several of my pet-sitting clients and some of my co-workers at BowTie with their pets. The time I spent there just flew by. At the end of the day, I felt a little worn out but fulfilled.

If you get the chance, attend an event like this and I know you’ll have a great time. And so will your dog!

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