Humane Society’s Dog-A-Thon a howling success!
$120,000 raised to help save homeless animals
Saturday, July 15th, more than 1,500 dogs and their people gathered at Fort Steilacoom Park in Lakewood, WA, to raise over $120,000 for homeless animals in our community. Funds raised will help the Humane Society care for nearly 23,000 animals that enter the shelter annually, and will help staff find homes for healthy, adoptable pets in their quest to become one of only a few “open admission”, “no-kill” shelters of their size in the nation by December 2008.
Walkers raised pledges in advance of the walk, and then enjoyed a one-mile or four-mile hike through Fort Steilacoom Park with their canine companion(s). “We raised $18,000 more than last year”, said Steve Pierce, executive director. “It’s great to see so many animal lovers and so many breeds of dogs in one place at one time. To see the special bonds between people and their dogs, many adopted from the Humane Society, gives our staff a tremendous sense of reward in all we do to save the animals”, said Pierce.
Winners of the Magnificent Mutt Show included: (Rocky) for best trick; (Chica) for biggest dog; (Gypsy Gin) for smallest dog; (Portia) for most spots; (McKenzie) for best dressed; (Babe) for loudest bark; (Pepper) for tallest; (Sandy) for most like owner; (Rosie) for cutest; and (Blue) for best in show.
Other featured activities included demonstrations by the Flying Disk Dogs, the Ewe-Topia Herding Dogs, Narcotic Detection Dogs from the Department of Corrections, Tacoma Police Department K-9 Unit, Washington Mixed Breed Dog Club, and drawings for great prizes. A variety of professional photographs, like the one attached, are available for publication.
Dog-A-Thon 2006 was presented by Lawyer’s Title and sponsored by The News Tribune, Click Network, Robert Larson Automotive Group, The Mountain 103.7, The Wolf 100.7, Big Dogs and The Walking Company, Rush, Hannula, Harkins, Kyler Trial Lawyers and Mountain Mist. Other supporting sponsors include VCA Animal Hospitals, Alaska Airlines, Southwest Airlines, Invisible Fence, Deb Main Elliot Sales, Morton McGoldrick Attorneys at Law, Brooke Auto Insurance, Columbia Bank, Petco, Precise, The Animal Emergency Clinic, Commercial Bank and hundreds of Humane Society volunteers who dedicate their lives to saving animals.
