Dig for diamond at Pet-a-Palooza
Hey savvy news reader! Thanks for choosing local.
You are now reading
1 of 3 free articles.
News from the Mission Valley Animal Shelter
POLSON – The Mission Valley Animal Shelter has announced that it is holding a Pet-a-Palooza on Saturday, Sept. 12, at Boettcher Park in Polson from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Anderson Radio Broadcasting is sponsoring the event.
The event will include a police dog demonstration, a blessing of the animals, various contests and raffles, food and refreshments and booths to Ask-a-Vet, Ask-a-Groomer and Ask-a-Trainer for obedience/training tips.
In addition, there will be a “Diamond Dig” for a diamond valued at $400 donated by a jewelry wholesaler/retailer who has been a long-time supporter of MVAS.
Contests will be held in the following categories: Best Costume, Best Kisser, Best Behaved, Worst Behaved, Most Unique Couple, Best Trick, Best Groomed, Worst Hair Day, Owner/Pet Look-a-Like, Oldest Dog (or Companion) and Youngest Dog (or Companion).
To enter a contest, participants receive pledges for a specific contest and the winner is awarded based upon the amount of money raised.
“This should be a lot of fun for dogs and their companions,” Sharon Hawke, shelter vice president said. “If you think your dog has what it takes, then get out there and raise money for a specific contest or contests and take the prize. You now control your dog’s being the best and raise much-needed money for the animal shelter at the same time.”
The grand prize of “Best in Show” will be given to the canine and his or her companion who raise the most money for the event.
Pat Salmon, a local artist and photographer, will be on hand to take professional pictures of your pet for a reasonable fee, a portion of which will be donated to the Shelter.
The Shelter will be offering discounted microchipping for your pet at $20 during the event.
“We really encourage pet owners to have their animals microchipped – it insures that if your pet gets lost or stolen you have an excellent chance of quickly being reunited with your beloved family member. Tags and collars fall off and if your pet is stolen, the first thing that is removed is the collar and tag. The microchip number is registered with a national data base,” said Hawke. “It is an extra, important layer of security for you and your pet.”
Discounted microchipping will be available to everyone in the community at the event.
“This is the Shelter’s major fundraising event this year so it is very important that we have a good turn-out with everyone raising money to help our shelter. All proceeds directly benefit the animals. These past several years have been tough for all nonprofits, including us, as donations have decreased significantly while operating costs continue to increase,” Hawke said. “In this economy, we must rely heavily on fundraisers to help the animal shelter fund its operations. Please ask your friends, relatives, neighbors, businesses, even strangers, if necessary, to help by sponsoring you and your dog to be the best in one or several contests.”
“ You don’t want to miss this once in a lifetime community happening,” Hawke said.”
Registration/pledge sheets may be obtained at Seconds 2 Go (next to McDonald’s) in Polson or by calling the Shelter at 406-883-5312.
Mission Valley Animal Shelter is a privately-funded animal shelter for dogs and cats that recently celebrated its 25th anniversary. Its annual budget is approximately $280,000, all of which must be raised through donations, fundraising events and operations, since it receives no governmental funding of any kind. MVAS also operates a thrift store, Seconds 2 Go, in Polson to provide funds for its animal shelter operations. For more information, visit the Shelter’s Facebook page at Mission Valley Animal Shelter.
