Wag ‘n’ Walk gets four paws up

Shrek the scat-sniffing dog reigned as King, and Gloria, a rescue from OldDog Haven, earned honors as Queen at the fifth annual Whidbey Animals’ Improvement Foundation Wag ‘n’ Walk at Greenbank Farm last month.

About 500 dogs and their people attended the event that WAIF shelter manager Shari Bibich describes as a “friend-raiser.”

“It’s the biggest one we’ve had yet,” she said. “The place was really buzzing.”

Sixty volunteers kept the balls rolling and water bowls filled, lending to Wag ‘n’ Walk’s successful, tail-wagging atmosphere.

Dogs and their humans explored the Greenbank trails, played dog walk poker and enjoyed a search demonstration by Trooper Walstad and his K-9 partner, Breeze, of the Washington State Patrol Homeland Security Division. Students of Wish ‘n’ Wells Dog Training awed both two and four-legged attendees with an agility presentation.

By day’s end four lucky dogs, two from WAIF and two OldDog Haven canines, found new companions, Bibich said.

Wag ‘n’ Walk organizers credit the event’s success to its volunteers and the services and support donated by Surety Pest Control, Trinity Lutheran College, Wet Noses the all natural dog treats, Grandma Lucy’s, Skagit Farmers Supply, Hanson’s Building Supply, Home Depot, Whidbey Island Bank, Whidbey Telecom, Whidbey Marketplace, Deborah Jones of Coldwell Banker, Joy Thompson of Joyful Dog Training, Maury Eskenazi from KRKO Radio, Marjorie and Gary Mason, Barb Carlin, Karen Holt, Custom Landscape Solutions, Daniel Jones, Tom & Lori Huling, Island Home Nursing, Island Spa and Garden Services, Sine Hough of Sensaria Natural Body Care, Karen White of K-Dub Designs, J.H. Husband Engineering and Waterman Self Storage.

Wag ‘n’ Walk 2010 is scheduled for Aug. 22 at Greenbank Farm. For more information about WAIF, visit www.waifanimals.org. For more information about OldDog Haven, visit www.olddoghaven.org.

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