Coming up this weekend is my favorite Charleston Animal Society event, the Paws In the Park and Walk for the Animals at Park Circle in North Charleston.
Paws in the Park and Walk for the Animals is an all day event featuring a fun walk fund-raiser, games, food, live music and activities for pets and their families. The games are a blast for people and their pets. Poochy Putt-Putt is a favorite, but if your dog is good with a ball, don’t miss the Ballistic Ball-Sling competition. It will be held in the baseball field where it is safe for you to really sling the ball as far as your Fido will run. If your dog is obsessed with tennis balls then he or she should be a winner at Bobbing for Tennis Balls. Got a silly trick that your dog does? Be sure to show up to see if you can win the Best Silly Pet Trick game.
The walk will take place around park circle and will feature all the teams that have raised funds for CAS as well as their furry friends. Download a Walk donation collection form at http://pawsinthepark.kintera.org and show up at 9 a.m. to register. The walk starts at 10 a.m. and will circle the park. Prizes, trophies and ribbons will be awarded to the biggest fund raisers, but you really should just do it for the fun and to help support the 12,000 animals that are taken into the shelter every year.
As you are walking around the circle, you will not be able to miss the Best Costume competitors. If your pet has a good Halloween costume this year, show up at 9 a.m. to register for the contest. I can think of a hundred of my patients who could win the Best Tail Wagger competition. My favorites are the nub-tailed dogs, as they really wag their whole body. I always feel sorry for the judge for Sloppiest Kisser, but if your dog can really humiliate the judge, be sure to enter that competition.
There will be local animal experts and Charleston Animal Society veterinarians on hand to answer questions related to animal health. There will be a variety of educational exhibits with animals of all kinds, vendors from all around the Lowcountry, and lots of treats for animals and their owners.
This one day festival atmosphere will raise money to save countless animals lives, provide a day for education and family togetherness and bring the community together toward a common cause. In today’s economy, the shelter needs your funds and participation more than ever. Last week the CAS adopted out 90 adult spayed, neutered and vaccinated cats with no adoption fee. This saved almost 100 adult cat’s lives! On Nov. 7 the CAS will spay and neuter 250 cats for only $15 for males and $25 for females. Call 556-7729 if you want to take advantage of this for your cats. The CAS cannot continue to sponsor these low-cost life-saving events like these without your help. So, show up Saturday, play and have a good time and support the Charleston Animal Society. The party ends at 3 p.m.
 
Dr. Katherine A. Saenger, DVM, owns Bees Ferry Veterinary Hospital and Boarding Kennel (www.beesferry.com) and is a former board member of the Charleston Animal Society (formerly John Ancrum SPCA.) If you have questions, e-mail her at vetsaenger@bellsouth.net, and watch the column in coming weeks for her responses.)