An Innisfail veterinary clinic is stepping up to the plate for a provincial animal rescue group by hosting a charity dog walk later this month.
Poplar Grove Veterinary Services’ inaugural Charity Dog Walk and Toonie Barbeque is scheduled on Sept. 18 at the Centennial Park/Napoleon Lake picnic area. Registration gets underway at 10:30 a.m. while the barbecue starts at noon. Participants and their pooches will hike the trail around the lake.
“It is the first year that we’ve ever tried this and we’re hoping it goes over well,” said Kelsey Strabel, a registered animal health technician at Poplar Grove and the walk’s main organizer.
Proceeds from the event will go to Alberta Animal Rescue Crew Society (AARCS), a not-for-profit group that rescues animals in Alberta from Cold Lake to Lethbridge. Strabel said Poplar Grove has done quite a bit of work with AARCS in the past.
“They’re doing a really good job. They’re definitely out there saving animals and doing a good job of adopting them out,” she explained. “We just found them to be a very good charity.”
In addition to the walk and the barbecue, AARCS will have a tent set up with information about their group and adoption information.
There is already significant interest in the event, Strabel said, noting a number of people from the Calgary area will be attending. A group of AARCS volunteers will also be bringing some of the animals that are currently up for adoption.
“People can meet those (dogs) and hopefully fall in love and that might help adopt out some of their pets,” Strabel said.
Strabel said there is no minimum amount of pledges required to do the walk, and it is open to everyone.
“Anybody can collect pledges or do a donation themselves and show up,” Strabel said. “You don’t need a dog to come to the dog walk. You can come and just join everyone else with their dogs and just do the hike if you’d still like to participate, or just come and support the barbecue.”
In Innisfail registration forms are available at Poplar Grove Veterinary Services, The Doggie Dog, Innisfail Veterinary Services, Innisfail Boarding Kennels and Kozy Kennels. They can also be picked up in Red Deer at Cedarwood Veterinary Hospital, in Rimbey at Rimbey Veterinary Clinic, and online at www.albertaanimalrescuecrew.com.
For more information, contact Poplar Grove at (403) 227-4701.
