Tag: dogs

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Numerous National Dog Day events planned in Chesterfield

Numerous National Dog Day events planned in Chesterfield

CHESTERFIELD, Va. (WWBT) – As the dog days of summer near an end, Chesterfield County has big plans for National Dog Day on Friday.

Representatives from the county will be out and about at six locations with free swag for your furry family members, as well as opportunities to get professional photos of your pup.

You can visit the following locations during the day:

  • Goyne Park (5300 Ecoff Ave.) – 8:30-9:30 a.m.
  • Midlothian Mines Amphitheater (13301 N. Woolridge Road) – 8:30-9:30 a.m. (Pack Walk)
  • Rockwood Park (3401 Courthouse Road) – 8:30-10 a.m. (Free dog photos with registration)
  • Harry Daniel Park – Playground/Shelter 3 (6600 Whitepine Road) – 5-6:30 p.m. (Free dog photos with registration)
  • Clover Hill Dog Park (13900 Hull Street Road) – 6-7 p.m.
  • Fest Biergarten (7044 Woodlake Commons Loop) – 6-7 p.m. (Live Music and Pet Supply Drive benefiting Chesterfield Animal Services)

Visit experiencechesterfield.com/woof for more details on the sites and activities.

Copyright 2022 WWBT. All rights reserved.

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It was a day for the dogs: local organizations host fundraising events across SW Ontario

It was a day for the dogs: local organizations host fundraising events across SW Ontario


On Saturday several local organizations kicked off fundraising events, all for a good cause.


The fifth annual dog festival was hosted at the Fox and Hound Canine Retreat in Sarnia, following a two year hiatus.


“It’s everything dog. The whole thing is to celebrate dogs and the relationships we have with them,” said Donna Pyette, the executive director of the Sarnia & District Humane Society.


The event is meant to encourage dog adoption and highlight the Coldwell Banker Homes for Dogs Project.


“For over 110 years Coldwell Banker has helped people find their homes and now we’re trying to help dogs find their forever home,” said Karley Chamberlain, the director of marketing at CB southwest realty.


“By partnering with Adopt-a-Pet.com, North America’s largest non-profit pet adoption website, the Coldwell Banker network has helped to find more than 40,000 dogs their furever homes.”


Amelia Humphries is one of several dog owners who adopted her nearly 2-year-old pup Fraya with help from the humane society.


“I saw her on the website and fell in love and knew I had to have her,” she said. “It was all around a good experience. We got to help out the humane society by helping them versus buying one.”


The donations raised from the event will go towards supporting the Sarnia & District Humane Society. According to the executive director, their goal is to raise $10,000 by the end of the day.


“Everyone has a spot in their heart for that organization and I think it really brings the community together,” Katie Fuller said.


In London, the Paws on the Green fundraiser by Leads Employment also kicked off this Saturday for the first time in Wortley village.


The event showcased pet-serving entrepreneurs and local craft businesses.


“It’s the first time for entrepreneurs to sell their services, their products, showcasing their talents to get into the labour market and into the gig economy, it’s very exciting,” said Wendy Lau, the CEO of Leads Employment Services.


According to Lau, proceeds from the event will go towards supporting lead’s clients with employment resources to support clients with disabilities or barriers.


“We need to support our small businesses and those that are dependent on the business they get from festivals.” 

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Grand Strand Humane Society hosting free pet adoption events in July

Grand Strand Humane Society hosting free pet adoption events in July

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WMBF) – The Grand Strand Humane Society is hosting free adoptions over the next two weeks for those looking to add a new member to the family.

The shelter recently announced that it has no open cages remaining and are looking to get as many animals adopted as possible.

GSHS will hold adoption events for cats and kittens from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday at the shelter’s location at Tanger Outlets off Highway 501, across from Carolina Pottery and behind The Uniform Outlet.

A separate event for dogs and puppies will be held on July 16 and 17 from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. at the GSHS location on Mr. Joe White Avenue and 21st Avenue North in Myrtle Beach.

The events also fall as part of the annual statewide PickMe! SC campaign, organized by No Kill South Carolina and the Charleston Animal Society. The campaign runs through July 17.

Click here for more information.

Stay with WMBF News for updates.

Copyright 2022 WMBF. All rights reserved.

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Dogs, fast draw, and tractor pulls among favourite events returning to Aldergrove Fair – Langley Advance Times

The Aldergrove Fair will see the return of the antique tractor pull this year, along with dog agility, fast draw, and other popular events as the fair returns to full operation. (Langley Advance Times file)

This year, the tractor pull is back at the Aldergrove Fair Days.

After two years of cancelled or scaled-back events due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the July 14-17 fair will see the return in full of many traditional events.

“That tractor pull is back to its traditional format,” said the fair’s Mike Robinson.

That means multiple weight classes, ranging from the tiny “garden tractors” up to the big full sized farm tractors, will be on hand on the Kinsmen Park Field near the Aldergrove Community Secondary.

The tractors will be over on the south side of the fairgrounds near the BMX track, Robinson said.

In tractor pull, a tractor hauls a large sled, with wheels at the back, that has a significant amount of weight in it. The weight doesn’t stay still, either – it moves forward during the course of the pull, so it weighs down the portion of the sled that drags on the ground, increasing resistance the longer the tractor lasts.

The tractor pulls at the Aldergrove Fair will take place over a 250 foot course. There are usually about 40 competitors, Robinson said.

The fast draw competition, featuring holsters and six guns, will not only be back, the celebrity edition will take place. Local politicians, businesspeople, and other prominent Langley folks will get to test their speed with a shooting iron in front of the crowds.

Also returning will be the dog agility shows, which weren’t present at all in last year’s smaller fair.

The agility show has been moved to the northeast corner of the site, where there’s a little hill for people to sit on and watch events. The number of dogs competing in the event, which involves pups completing an obstacle course, hasn’t been determined yet.

Back for the first time in a while is also Mike the Reptile Guy.

READ ALSO: A bigger and better Aldergrove Fair is in the works

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“He’s got a phenomenal collection of snakes and reptiles,” said Robinson.

International Movie Services will also make a return with a collection of vintage and antique military equipment and vehicles. The local company rents out everything from trucks to armoured vehicles to uniforms for movies, and shows off parts of its collection at local events including the fair.

You never know what they’ll turn up with, said Robinson.

“They could bring out a new vehicle every day for a year.”

There will also be the biggest vendor area ever, and while there isn’t a full midway, there are a couple of interactive game sites, including a climbing wall and a bungee ride that launches people up.

Taking part in many of these events isn’t out of the reach of members of the general public, Robinson noted, although it might be too late to sign up for this year’s fair.

Local clubs run the fast draw and dog agility events, so taking part is a matter of joining those groups, Robinson said.

“Next year, you could be bringing your dogs out.”

Have a story tip? Email: matthew.claxton@langleyadvancetimes.com

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‘Dogs at the Dock’ event in Springfield helps out canines and humans alike

'Dogs at the Dock' event in Springfield helps out canines and humans alike

On Friday, fireworks rocked the docks on Lake Springfield. On Saturday, the docks went to the dogs.

A group of pet-oriented small businesses and non-profits teamed up for the inaugural Dogs at the Dock event at the Lake Springfield Prop Club. It was a chance for the organizations to promote themselves over the Fourth of July weekend while also helping find good homes for pets.

Event participants had the chance to adopt pets from the Animal Protective League, buy treats and accessories for their dogs (or cats), have a bite to eat or even ride down a bouncy slide. A showing of the original “One Hundred and One Dalmatians” on a big screen was scheduled for the end of the day.

The event was the brainchild of Kristen Hughes, the owner of Courteous Canines, a Chatham-based dog behavioral center. Her goal was to promote fellow non-profits that work with dogs, cats and other animals while ensuring that some of the pets would be adopted.

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“We have been seeing a lot of dogs needing adoption, a lot more than usual,” Hughes said. “Euthanasia rates are higher, so we want to help make sure they all get adopted.”

Hughes and her friend/business partner, Macie Brown, planned the event. Brown is the president of Central Illinois Feline Rescue, a non-profit that helps provide homes for cats that would be euthanized at county pounds without the group’s help.

“I wanted to get my name out there so I could get my non-profit going,” Brown said. “We take in cats that are going to be euthanized from county pounds (and) owner surrenders. We’re foster-based, so we have homes all around Springfield, Virden and all around the area. We get them bedded and adopted.”

While the word dock is in the name and the Prop Club is on the lake, most of the booths and attractions weren’t on the dock for safety reasons.

“The more we thought about it, the more I was like, ‘I don’t want dogs and kids right next to the lake on Fourth of July weekend when everybody’s drinking,'” Hughes said. “I don’t think any of (my dogs) are qualified (to be rescue animals).”

However, the organizers found plenty of people willing to lend a hand for the event. One of those people was Becky Moore, the founder of Big Jake’s Dog Treats. Big Jake is Becky’s autistic son and the family started the business as a way to engage him in something that he likes to do after he graduated high school.

“After age 22, there’s not a lot of things for young adults with autism to do,” Moore said. “This is something he likes to do. Our family decided to help Jacob form his own business and do something that’s fulfilling to him.”

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The treats are made without preservatives, giving people a healthy option to buy for their dog. The Moores came out in large part to showcase one aspect of what they referred to as the “canine community,” which included many of the people who organized Saturday’s event.

“We just want to showcase Jake’s products,” Moore said. “July is when we’re kicking off our business, so it’s (a) open house for Big Jake and we just want to introduce ourselves and bring some fun to the dog community.”

While the event brings awareness to many of the issues facing rescue groups and pet non-profits, the main goal for Hughes and Brown Saturday was to have fun and support those groups at the same time.

“That’s my main goal,” Hughes said. “I want everybody to have fun while doing something good. Whether this event is a success or utter failure, at least we tried.”

Contact Zach Roth: (217) 899-4338; ZDRoth@gannett.com; @ZacharyRoth13

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Charity ride for guide dogs makes big return to southwestern Ontario

Charity ride for guide dogs makes big return to southwestern Ontario

A group of motorcycles made their way from Oakville to Breslau on Saturday to raise money for guide dogs through the Lions Foundation of Canada.

The foundation provides dogs for people with medical and physical disabilities to help empower them to a life of independence.

The Ride for Dog Guides event is a way to raise money for the foundation in order to pay for the $35,000 price tag that comes with raising and training of dog guides.

“We rely on donors and fundraising events like the Ride for Dog Guides to help us reach those goals and achieve our mission,” said Andrea Stevens, the manager of events for the foundation.

Due to the pandemic, the event was virtual for two years. Organizers weren’t sure what to expect for the turnout this time, but said the 80 riders that signed up this year was more than in 2019.

One of the ride participants and lead fundraisers from the event, Robert Stanley, said he has seen the impact dog guides have had on people’s lives.

“I’ve just been very fortunate to see that and once you do it, you want to get involved,” said Stanley. “I love motorcycling, so of course I’m going to want to ride, but seeing that the money is going to such an important cause, that’s got me.”

Stanley has raised over $80,000 through donations for the foundation since he started participating in 2016. A dog guide was named after Stanley to recognize his contributions to the foundation.

Alex, an 11-year-old boy living with autism, now has the dog. Stanley said he has seen how the dog guide has made an impact in Alex’s life.

“They’ve given the honour of showing me the changes in Alex over those two to three years that he’s had Stanley and he’s a different boy,” said Stanley.

According to Alex, his canine companion Stanley has been a big help.

“Since my dog has been at school, I’ve gotten a lot more help,” said Alex. “Every time I am going bed, he helps me usually before I go to bed, because I’m usually afraid of the dark sometimes.

“He helps me get through tough times.”

Stevens said the pandemic has hindered how many dogs are available, but this year they are hoping to provide at least 150 dog guides to people like Alex.

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Uber will order your hot dogs at games now. Getting a ride is harder.

Uber will order your hot dogs at games now. Getting a ride is harder.
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Ride-hailing app Uber unveiled a suite of new offerings this week, from charter buses to skip-the-line food ordering at sporting events, aimed at grabbing more business in more places. Meanwhile, some riders are just hoping their cars show up without a hitch.

Take Jonah Bliss, a marketing consultant in Los Angeles. He said he called an Uber last week to take him to the airport. Before he booked, it listed the wait time as 10 minutes. Once he hit “confirm,” it shot up to 25 minutes. The switch felt disingenuous, he said.

“I work in marketing and am familiar with putting your best foot forward, but it’s hard to know when it crosses the line from being optimistic to being untrue,” he said.

Katie Pilot, who lives in the Los Angeles area and works in export logistics, prefers to take one of the ready-and-waiting yellow cabs when she’s leaving big events rather than wandering up a nearby side street to find her Uber. She still takes Ubers to the airport, but costs are creeping up, she said. Since drivers frequently cancel, she’s taken to paying the $16 fee to reserve her rides the night before. Her seven-mile trip to Los Angeles International Airport last month came in at $55.

“I’m really only using ride-share to get to the airport or around when I travel,” she said. “The rates have gotten too pricey to add on as an expense for a day or evening out.”

As some customers report paying more, Uber itself is trying to spend less. The looming economic downturn is driving the ride-hailing giant to cut costs, according to an email from CEO Dara Khosrowshahi to employees, even as its revenue bounces back from a pandemic-era dip. After a series of challenges including driver shortages and spiking gas prices, it’s hard to know where Uber’s latest product announcements fit in — and whether some elements, like autonomous sidewalk food-delivery robots, will ever come to fruition.

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Most of the new features Uber announced appear to be geared toward relatively small groups of customers, such as event planners, sports fans who really hate standing in line, and people who can use voice assistants without losing their minds.

“Some of these feel almost like a distraction,” Bliss said. “It’s like, ‘The thing you used Uber for doesn’t work, but now you can eat hot dogs at Dodger Stadium easier.’ ”

A spokesman for Uber said the company has more drivers in the United States now than it did at any other point during the pandemic, and that prices and reliability are improving. The number of drivers didn’t decrease in response to rising fuel prices, he said, and wait times in Los Angeles, where Bliss and Pilot live, have gone down 10 percent since this time last year.

Needy, overconfident voice assistants are wearing on their owners’ last nerves

Here’s what the company promised customers during Monday’s virtual unveiling.

  • Vouchers for events: People planning get-togethers such as weddings or conferences can give their guests voucher codes for rides or meals. (Organizers can set a maximum price, which helps with setting budgets and preventing shenanigans.)
  • Voice ordering: Uber Eats will integrate with Google Assistant, so you can say something like, “Hey Google, order me panang curry from Jitlada Thai Cuisine.” It’s available this summer in English around the world with more languages to come, the company said.
  • Travel planning: If you link your Uber and Gmail accounts, Uber will provide recommendations for ride reservations right alongside your flight, hotel or restaurant reservations, it says.
  • Charter buses: Starting this summer, you can rent those big party buses people use for bachelor parties and proms, as well as passenger vans and coach buses. Open the Uber app and tap “charter” to see when it’s available where you live.
  • Sporting events: If you want food at the stadium but don’t want to stand in line, you can use Uber Eats or Postmates (which Uber owns) to order food from concessions. When it’s ready, you get an alert and can go grab your items without the wait. It’s available at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, Angel Stadium in Anaheim, Calif., Yankee Stadium in New York, Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C., Minute Maid Park in Houston, PayPal Park in San Jose and Roazhon Park in France with “more to come.”
  • Uber Comfort Electric: Uber’s premium “comfort” option now comes with a special designation if you prefer an electric vehicle such as a Tesla or Polestar. It’s available in Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Diego in the United States, the company says, with more locations to come.
  • Autonomous delivery: If you’d prefer your food be delivered by a robotic rolling shopping cart with eyeballs instead of a human, today’s your lucky day. Uber is testing these gadgets from maker Serve Robotics in Los Angeles, it says, as well as autonomous delivery with an all-electric vehicle fleet from car company Motional. Keep in mind, though: autonomous anything is easier said than done. Both Uber and Lyft have talked a big game about autonomous vehicles before and have yet to deliver.