The Laker/Lutz News Staff Report

Every dog has its day, as the saying goes, and organizers of Dogs’ Day in Dade City made sure of that on March 16 with an event that drew plenty of pooches eager to claim their spotlight.

Staged in downtown Dade City for the 14th time since its founding 15 years ago, the event offered dogs and their human companions a variety of opportunities to show off their talents or simply relax and socialize with others.

Since it began, the canine celebration has occurred every year except 2020, when social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic prevented it, said Lucy Avila, who co-founded the event with former Dade City Mayor Camille Hernandez, the Dade City Youth Council and several downtown businesses. 

“We wanted to bring something new into our community,” said Avila, who continues to coordinate the event. “I love dogs, and so does she (Hernandez). I said, ‘Let’s do a dog event.’” 

Dogs’ Day has always been envisioned as “just a fun day for people to come together with their best friend, which is their dog,” she said.

But along the way, she added, money raised from donations has helped fund numerous community improvement projects, including cleanup stations at the city’s dog park and along the recreational Hardy Trail, support for the Dade City Police K-9 unit, training for dogs of military veterans and pet food for families struggling to make ends meet.

At this year’s event, dogs of just about every size, breed and color — many in costume — packed the city’s Agnes Lamb Park. More than 20 vendors set up shop, offering doggie treats ranging from massages to canine catnip, as well as fresh lemonade, fruit and other refreshments for the two-legged visitors joining the celebration.

“We wouldn’t miss this for the world,” said Gail Yeager of St. Petersburg, who had an elaborately decorated stroller with the sign “Queen of Shenanigans” for her Yorkshire terrier, Hetty, but spent much of the time cradling her furry friend in her arms.

The pair was decked out in St. Patrick’s Day regalia for the event’s costume contest, but Yeager said the real attraction of the event was the camaraderie and the opportunity to spend time with so many different people who love dogs. 

“It’s all-American,” she said.

Diane Cole, of Dade City, dressed up as a country music singer with an inflatable guitar, and her miniature poodle, Loki, was dolled up to match with a doggie shirt that made him look like he was playing the guitar. 

“This is dog people’s heaven,” Cole said, adding that she has attended every Dogs’ Day in Dade City event in the past five years.

As in years past, Dogs’ Day opened with a dog wagon parade, followed by several light-hearted competitions for owners and their dogs, including costume contests, a talent

and a race among 30 dog-and-human pairs trying to score the fastest time for eating ice cream and yogurt. 

The rules specified that only tongues could be used to lap up the treats — more of a challenge for the humans licking ice cream out of a cup than the dogs wolfing down yogurt in a matter of seconds.  

New beginnings amid the fun
While fun was the primary goal for most of the adults, children and dogs that flocked to the park, the event offered something more for Sasha, a blonde cocker spaniel seeking a new leash in life. 

Sasha was among several dogs brought to the event by the Florida Cocker Spaniel Rescue group, which set up a tent and dog pens in one corner of the park. The young spaniel found her forever home with Barbara and Andrew Melanson of Largo.

The Melansons pre-qualified to adopt a new dog and then traveled to Dade City to spend time with the rescue group’s available dogs and introduce them to Reese’s, the couple’s cocker spaniel named for the famous chocolate-covered peanut butter candy. Sasha and Reese’s hit it off, and the Melansons were smitten with her, too.

Carol Cansler, who runs the Wesley Chapel-based rescue group, said she has been bringing adoptable dogs to the Dade City event for years. She said attendees often fall in love with one of the canine candidates for adoption and ask to take it home, but the rescue group insists on pre-qualifying all prospective dog parents through an application process. 

At the other end of the park was a tent display highlighting the awards won by Christiana Crespo, 16, and her border collie, Zelda. The duo from Bushnell placed fifth in the AKC Junior Open Agility World Championship held last year in Great Britain and qualified for the organization’s junior team again this year. The teen is raising funds to compete in Belgium in July.  

Christiana, who helped Zelda demonstrate her talents on stage during Dogs’ Day, was among the beneficiaries of funds raised during this year’s Dade City event, which also benefited some animal rescue groups. Christiana’s mother, Maite, said the junior agility team members are responsible for raising their own funds for travel and lodging during competitions, and that typically costs thousands of dollars

Published March 27, 2024