Annual dog walk digs up support for animal shelter

The event's participants were as diverse as one could find in a group. Some were stout with fuzzy, honey-hued hair, while others were tall with silky, black locks. Some had long, droopy ears and others featured short, perked ones. But they all shared two common characteristics: four feet and an insatiable sniffing appetite. \nThe Monroe County Humane Association held its seventh annual "Walk for the Animals" Sunday at Third Street Park. \n"Walk for the Animals," the MCHA's largest yearly fund-raiser, drew almost 400 people and over 100 dogs, romping in euphoric, sensory overload. \nThe group headed out around 2 p.m. at the intersection of Third and Washington streets, trotted around the courthouse square and wound back. \n"As Jerry Lewis said, 'You'll never walk alone,'" Joe Lee, a former MCHA board member who emceed the event, told the group as they began. \nIn addition to the walk, locals and their canine companions also participated in various four-footed activities to the music of Kid Kazooey, a local group.\nThe Doggie Dash, a canine obstacle course that ran throughout the afternoon, elicited much entertainment. The competition, which measured a dog's agility, included rectangular hay blocks, hoola hoops and a lengthy, blue crawl tube. At the end of the day, the owners of the dogs with the fastest three times received doggie bag prizes.\nOwners jogged outside the course alongside their pups, encouraging them to "Come on, come on" when the dogs stopped to sniff the hay blocks. \nSome dogs weren't up to the challenge.\nCrybaby, a tan Beagle, plopped down at the course's starting area and showed no signs of rising. With repeated encouragement, she finally rose and meandered around the course, her tail wagging all the way. \n"She's 12 in dog years," owner Clayton Hicks, 10, explained.\nWillie started off with a sprint and looked to post an impressive time -- until he arrived at the first hay block, sniffed it and decided to smell every hay block after it.\n"Willie, you're not going to quit your day job," owner Lisa Hosey told him after he completed the course. \nParticipants could enter photos of non-canine pets, mostly cats, in the Critter Photo Contest. A "Viewer's Choice" box, in which people dropped their votes for the cutest critter, sat on the table below the photos.\nPeople and pups also competed in "musical sit." Owners and their canine companions strolled inside a white, chainlink fence area near the stage, and when Kid Kazooey's tunes stopped, the owners told their dogs to "Sit!" The last dog standing was out. \n"We want everyone to know that every dog's a winner -- some just get prizes," Lee said. \nA talent show, one of the day's last events, showcased tricks ranging from catching a tennis ball in the air to, well … not performing at all due to fatigue. Kelly McDonnell commanded her pooch, Parker Puppy, to give her a hug. The hulky, brown dog shot up on his hind legs and threw his thick paws around her neck.\n"The 'Walk for Animals' is really cool because you see so many different people and dogs out here," said Karen Walker, manager of Wayport Kennels, one of the event's sponsors. "And it's good to see a lot of our boarders."\nThe event raised $12,000 -- some donated from participants -- which will go toward the MCHA's general programs, such as education and Spay-Neuter Assistance Program. \n"We had a lot of good people and a lot of great dogs that were having a great time," said Sarah DeLone, MCHA's education program director. "I basically enjoyed seeing all the animals." \nThe MCHA is a nonprofit, volunteer-driven organization that advocates and works for the welfare of Monroe County's domestic, farm and wildlife animals. \nFor more information about the Association, call 333-6242.