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Meet
furry friends at Dog Day Afternoon
March 27,
2008
The grounds of Audubon Park will be teeming with beautiful
creatures, great and small, April 6. No, zoo animals aren't planning
an escape. The park will be blanketed with the species "canis lupus
familiaris," or as we so lovingly know them, our family dogs.
Come on out and join in the 26th annual Dog Day Afternoon, which
will include a run and fun walk and various doggie contests, all to
raise money for the Louisiana SPCA. Activities will circle Audubon
Park's Shelter 10.
When I experienced my first Dog Day Afternoon five years ago, I was
amazed at the sense of love and fun that ruled the day. There were
families of all varieties showing off their canine buddies, hanging
out, playing games, eating food, listening to music and simply
celebrating four-legged friends that have such a unique way of
bringing people together.
More than any other mammal on the planet, dogs have the most
variation in size, shape, color and behavior, and you'll definitely
have an opportunity to see this in living color at Dog Day
Afternoon.
You'll see mastiffs, bulldogs, boxers, Chihuahuas, retrievers,
Labradors, shelties, beagles and, most unique of all, various mutts.
It was at Dog Day that I met a bull mastiff for the first time. I
was amazed at its size and by the charm and the excitement the dog
drew from passers-by.
I was a volunteer at the Louisiana SPCA before joining the staff,
and Dog Day was an opportunity to meet dogs that are part of our
shelter alumni. One of my fondest memories is having the chance to
see Archie again.
Archie was a smart, tiny shepherd mix puppy -- the "black and tan"
New Orleans breed, as we so fondly call them -- that my partner and
I fostered for a short while after he ended up at the shelter.
We kept Archie until he could be nursed back to health and available
for adoption. He was so tiny he could comfortably sleep in a laundry
basket and was too small to climb out. But every morning, usually as
early as 6, Archie would stand up and let out the strongest little
bark I've ever heard. We would pick him up, place him on newspaper
and, like clockwork, he would do his business. He never soiled his
laundry basket and never had an accident in the house. It was as if
he house-trained himself.
Eventually, Archie returned to the shelter and was adopted. Several
months later, this beautiful, well-trained dog came up to me with
his human companion to say hello. It was Archie, all grown up and
the perfect gentleman.
Be a part of Dog Day by joining in the fun. Visit
www.la-spca.org to register online and create your own Dog Day
Afternoon fundraising page. Highlights of this year's event include
the Shelter Alumni Strut -- one of my favorites -- agility and
obedience demos and the ever-popular Frisbee catch. Another favorite
is the Louisiana Boxer Rescue Kissing Booth. As any dog lover would
agree, getting kissed by a slobbery, adorable boxer is the best way
to top off any day.
-
Gloria Dauphin
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