Gillette’s only all-day pet festival takes place September 10 August 30, 2016—Gillette, WY--On Saturday, September 10, Fur Kids Foundation hosts Pet-A-Palooza at CAM-PLEX Park, Shelter No. 5 starting at 10 am. The event is free to the public; some activities and attractions have fees.
Each pet owner who attends the event is required to complete a registration form and liability waiver before entering Pet-A-Palooza. Participants may register ahead of time a www.furkidsfoundation.org. Advance registration is helpful to organizers but owners may register onsite.
Fur Kids Foundation is the only organization in Northeastern Wyoming that provides families with pets access to emergency veterinary care when they cannot afford it. Since September 2012, Fur Kids Foundation has helped more than 315 families and granted nearly $50,000 in aid. Pet-A-Palooza is the Fur Kids Foundation’s signature event and largest annual fundraiser. Roughly 80 percent of the funds raised at all Fur Kids Foundation events help families keep their pets healthy in Campbell County, Wyoming.
Contests Pawject Runway, Noon-1 pm (registration closes at 11:30 am): Participants whose dogs have the attitudes of beauty queens should enter their pooch in Pawject Runway. The entrance fee for Pawject Runway is $10, and participants can walk the red carpet in one category or strut their stuff in three categories:
Best Dressed: judges will examine those with the costume or outfit, and accessories; a matching duo owner/dog will encourage better scores!
Congeniality: judges will critique your pet’s personality on the dog-walk (best personality, swagger and/or character)
Best Western Wear: judges will examine strictly on outfit and fitting of outfit based upon runway theme
Winners in each category take home a $50 cash prize, generously donated by The Knotty Salon.
Best Trick Contest, 2 pm (registration closes at 1:30 pm): Dogs will be judged upon precise technique within trick correlated by owner. Concentration of dog and willingness will also be noted by judges. Two minutes will be allotted per contestant. Entrance fee is $5. The winner will receive a six-week Trick Session from PAWS Academy, a value of $100.
Small Dog Showdown, 3 pm (registration closes at 2:30 pm): They may be tiny, but often these small dogs are faster than a speeding bullet! This fast-action race is specifically designed for dogs 20 pounds and under! The Foundation will pin participants’ dogs against one another in a 40-foot race to the championship title. Cost is $5 and participants must provide proof of rabies vaccination. Winners receive a fabulous small dog gift basket provided by a dedicated Fur Kids Foundation volunteer. There are two categories:
Micro Mutts, up to 10 pounds
Tiny Tots, 11 to 20 pounds
Attractions and Demonstrations
Agility, 10 am-4 pm: Participants can take their pooch through tunnels, over jumps and weave through poles and more with the Campbell County 4-H Agility Course! All dogs and handlers, from those just beginning agility training to those with expert skills, are welcome. $5 with 50 percent of the proceeds returning to the Foundation! An agility demonstration takes place at 10 am, for those interested in seeing how it’s done.
Nosework Demonstration, 11 am: Fur Kids Foundation Board Member Linda Tufvesson show event goers how dogs learn how to search for a specific odor or odors, and find the source.
Dog paw art, 10 am-4 pm: Let your pooch's inner Picasso shine through with some dog paw art! Attendees can make a simple paw print or create paw flowers for a donation.
Photo booth, 10 am-4 pm: For a donation, attendees can have an event memento with or without their pooch taken. Volunteers created a fun frame for participants to pose with and the Foundation has provided some props to use in the photos. Photos will be uploaded to Fur Kids Foundation's Facebook page.
Vendors, 10 am-4 pm: Features local artists, food vendors, pet groomers, pet treat makers, trainers, veterinary offices, and other businesses that attendees can visit with.
Raffles, 10 am-4 pm: Supporters have donated some pretty paw-some raffles including a Westinghouse 8-bottle wine cellar and Dog Wisdom stemless wine glasses, valued at $150. Tickets for this item are $5 per ticket, or $20 for 5, only 50 tickets will be sold! The Foundation is also raffling off a kennel, a dog tent and a Bissel vacuum. Tickets for these are $1 per ticket; $5 for six; or $20 for your arm span!
Silent Auction tables, 10 am-2:30 pm: There are tables filled with pet-themed goodies and toys, and other items from businesses and individuals.
Table of Treats and Trinkets, 10 am-gone: The Foundation has put together tables where participants can test their luck for a $5 donation and choose an item at this table for their cherished cat or dog. This item may be a delectable bag of cookies or a fantastic toy worth $50, or $1.
Pet Blessing, 4 pm: Participants may blow bubbles in memory of their pets. Free.
Want to Help? Fur Kids Foundation seeks volunteers to work throughout the day. Interested people should contact the Foundation at (307) 363-1131 or [email protected].
Pet-A-Palooza is supported by: Alignment Pros Point S Tire & Auto Service; Allison's Pantry - Melissa Wrigley; Animal Medical Center of Wyoming; Annabelle's Cookies; Cloud Peak Energy; Dandy Candy / Hays Family Concessions; Jamie Pedersen, ERA Priority Real Estate; First Interstate Bank; First National Bank of Gillette; Flightline, Inc.; Fraternal Order of the Eagles; Gillette Optometric Clinic; The Knotty Salon; Lost Cabin Construction, LLC; Darren Lynde; Masters of Ceremony; MCRL, LLC; Billy Montgomery; Robynn Nehl Pet Grooming; The Overhead Door Company of Gillette; PAWS Academy; Pizza Carrello; Red Hills Veterinary Hospital; Peggy & Rod Seppala; S&S Builders, LLC; Susan McKay CPA, LLC; Thars Feed and Ranch Supply; Thunder Basin Veterinary Clinic; Linda Tufvesson; and Wyoming Art & Frame.
For more information about Pet-A-Palooza, contact the Fur Kids Foundation at [email protected] or (307) 363-1131.
About Fur Kids Foundation Created in November 2011, the Fur Kids Foundation is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization that provides education and aid to promote the well-being of families with animals in Campbell County. Since September 2012, Fur Kids Foundation has helped more than 315 families and granted nearly $50,000 in emergency veterinary aid. For more information, or to read the blog, visit www.furkidsfoundation.org. Find Fur Kids Foundation on www.facebook.com/furkidsfoundation. Follow us on Twitter, @furkidswyo.