Sunday, September 28, 2008, PRESCOTT – Sunday was a good day to be a dog in Prescott.
“Thank you, Lord, for dogs,” Father Rich Wozniak intoned at the beginning of The City of Prescott’s second annual Dogtoberfest and Pet Adopt-a-Thon. Wozniak led dogs and people in the “Blessing of Animals” ceremony in tribute to St. Francis of Assisi.
Throngs of current and would-be dog owners socialized with dogs of all shapes and sizes at the Yavapai County Courthouse Plaza. About 40 volunteers walked and watered dogs and welcomed people.
“This is all about getting the focus on adopting dogs,” Ann Herrington, Stears Group spokeswoman and publisher of “The Prescott Dog” magazine, said. The magazine debuted this month.
In addition to learning about the dire need for dog adoptions, visitors could watch a variety of events including the most glamorous and ugliest dog contests, adoptable dog parades, dog and owner look-alike contest and the Air Major Flying Frisbee Dogs.
Television viewers may recognize Bill Watters, owner and trainer of “Air Major, The Flying Dog,” from talk shows and Miller Lite commercials. Watters’ Frisbee-trained dogs performed acrobatics that usually ended with a Frisbee clinched in the dog’s mouth.
“This is my first time performing at the Dogtoberfest,” he said. “I’m ready to rock the crowd.”
Some dogs are Frisbee-challenged and never will get it, Brian Heuett of Phoenix Area Disc Dogs said.
Some pet organizations Sunday would allow potential owners to adopt a dog and take it home, while other groups require in-home visits to a potential owner’s home.
“We do site visits to match the owner’s and dog’s age, temperament and sex,” Ruth Steffes, of Rescue a Golden of Arizona, said while golden retrievers frolicked behind her. “These goldens are not for adoption but are our ambassadors to the public.”
Andy Lloyd, of United Animal Friends.org, said that UAF “always does home visits to match owners with dogs and to be sure the owners qualify to take care of the dog.”
Vendors provided visitors with information and entertainment. They offered tips about nutrition, walking, clipping and cleaning. Dogs could get a new collar, organic biscuits and a massage.
“I want to be a veterinarian,” Kassie Drye said. Kassie is a ninth-grade student at Prescott’s Northpoint Expeditionary Learning Academy. “I like to talk to dogs. I imagine that I know what they are saying.”
Joe Driskill, City of Prescott Animal Control Officer, said that owners should keep a new dog close to home to allow it to learn its territorial boundaries.
“And never let a dog out without identification tags,” he said. “You should write your name and telephone number on the inside of the collar because tags could fall off.”
The Circle L Animal Hospital, of Chino Valley, offered discounts for rattlesnake vaccinations.
“The vaccine is very effective,” Kat Tobin said. “It’s not a cure, but it buys you time to get to a veterinarian.”
The best cure for a rattlesnake bite is to keep the dog calm and get it to a veterinarian as fast as possible, she said.
Owners should spay, neuter and microchip pets to prevent them from becoming lost or stolen, Cherie Mackenzie of The Lucky Club Rescue Group said.
“I’ve never been around this many dogs at once and it’s not bad,” Prescottonian Martin Kaye, 66, said. “Dogs make me feel relaxed.”
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