OHMIDOG! : A fine day for a March for the Animals

Rain or shine, $1,000 fines or no $1,000 fines, The March for the Animals takes place tomorrow at Baltimore’s Druid Hill Park — and what better way to show this sometimes less than dog-friendly city how much you care about your dog and all dogs.
Not to tarnish the Maryland SPCA’s largest fundraiser of the year*with politics, but it is an opportunity — in addition to having fun and raising money for homeless animals — to take stock of our numbers, and realize that for every four paws pounding the pavement tomorrow, there’s usually one or two registered voters behind them.
The past couple of weeks in the city of Baltimore have served as an example of what can happen when a community of dog lovers is uninformed and unconnected. And what can happen when they unite.
It was revealed that the city had raised the fines for unleashed dogs ten-fold, to $1,000, with little effort made to inform us about it, either before or after the fact. And this in a city that has yet to open a single*government-funded dog park. (Several council members say they plan to try and revise the law and lower the fine Monday.)
It’s time for dog lovers to unite, and for “dog park” groups to unite — again, we use the term loosely, since the city has yet to open an official dog park. (The only one that exists is in Canton, and it was built by private donations.) The March for the Animals is an excellent opportunity to let the networking begin, and, of course, the ohmidog! booth will welcome any rabble-rousing activists who care to gather there.
Again, the day isn’t about politics, but there’s no reason we can’t at least make initial contact, and exchange emails and phone numbers, amid all the fun, festivities and fund-raising.
At the ohmidog! booth, we’ll be holding contests (free Furminators will be among the prizes), bringing back*our popular “Kiss My Ace” kissing booth,*and offering our new hand-made, all-natural dog treats, “ohmidog-O’s” –*all profits from the sale of which will be turned over to the Maryland SPCA.</span>
The march runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; registration begins at 9:00 a.m. Sunshine is predicted in the morning, with rain expected to hold off until later in the day, so the event won’t likely be the soggy affair it was last year.
It’s still not too late to raise pledges for the March, the Maryland SPCA says, by asking your friends, family members and co-workers to sponsor you and your dog.*Bring your pledges*and donations to the event. With at least $30 in donations, you receive a doggie bandana and goody bag. With $40 and over, you also receive*a March for the Animals*T-shirt.
Additional*information*is available at the*March for the Animals*website, and if you need some help figuring out how to get there, here’s a*map.</span>
Among the day’s highlights:
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]A ribbon cutting ceremony with*Duff Goldman of Ace of Cakes, which will be filmed for his Food Network show*(10:00 a.m.).[/FONT]*
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]The march itself –*1.5 miles*around the lake with your dogs at your leisure (10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.).[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]A Canine Agility Course, courtesy of Oriole Dog Training Club, where your dog can run through tunnels and jump through hoops (10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.).[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]Consultations with a pet communicator (limited to 20 people; 10:30 a.m. to 11:15 a.m.).[/FONT]*
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]Discount micro-chipping; it’s only*$25 at the micro-chipping table (10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.).*[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]Sign*your pet up to appear in the 2010 SPCA Pet Calendar and have a*photo of your pet taken for the calendar for $50.*The fee includes a 2010 calendar(10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.).[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]A demonstration by Mid-Atlantic Disc Dogs (11:00 a.m. to noon).[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]Training tips from the SPCA’s Training and Behavior Manager (11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.).[/FONT]*
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]A Pet*Costume Contest with celebrity judges and the Muttiest Mutt Contest (11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.).[/FONT]**


More...