Purple Breeze!
After hearing about and attending so many great pet fests in the Toronto area, this past weekend I decided to attend the Durham Pet Fest in Whitby Ontario. As a Markham resident I’ve always found it interesting that there is such a contrast between activities, services and festivals in Toronto both Central and West and those offered to people and dogs that live in the York regions and beyond. While as York regioners we do have access to more rural settings such as the York Regional Forest among many others, we don’t have any of the “fancier” things that many Torontonians access on a daily basis such as indoor dog parks and places like Pawsway. I have often driven all the way into downtown Toronto for special pet events and festivals.
I initially came across the Durham Pet Fest when looking on the Internet for festivals near my home.ss The description reminded me of a smaller version of the many Toronto pet festivals such as Woofstock so I decided to not only attend but also to enter my own dog into the Breed Parade open to all purebred dogs. To be completely honest, when I pictured the Breed Parade I had imagined it happening on a big stage complete with a runway. Upon getting there on the Saturday I quickly realized that it was a much more informal and “fun” walk in front of the people who had chosen to brave the heat and make it out that day. Unfortunately, I would assume because of the heat, there wasn’t a huge crowd of people out at the festival that day even though there were many kiddy pools set up around the grounds to keep our canine companions cool. Thankfully when I returned on Sunday there was a much bigger crowd of pet owners/lovers.
The booths were spread out fairly well and I’d estimate that there were about 25 of them in total. Some of the more interesting booths I found were as follows.
Sadie & Mitz
Sadie & Mitz Luxury Pet Products claim to provide “luxurious, naturally based products that are formulated for the needs of animals but with the quality we would want for ourselves”. As a dog owner of three male dogs, I’ve never been one to care much for putting special scents on my dogs. While I would appreciate a shampoo/conditioner that would help their coats I really have always just bought a plain old shampoo/conditioner from Petsmart. Katherine Carty is the owner/founder and was both very pleasant and extremely knowledgeable about her products and what makes them different and a better choice for pet owners. As I begun smelling a few of the wide variety of scents offered I must admit I was pulled in! I instantly had images in my mind of my house smelling lovely because of my dogs! While I did decline the nail colouring offering for my own dog I could easily see how this entire line could be not only fun but also very attractive to many pet owners. Further information can be found at sadieandmitz.com
You woof, I woof, we all woof for ice cream!
Romeo’s Hot Pawz was a company who donated the doggy ice cream for the ice cream eating contest. They claim to provide “a preservative free, healthy, all natural source of freshly baked gourmet cookies, treats, and food”. I entered my pup into the contest to see what he thought of doggy ice cream. I noticed that he took his time while the lab next to us literally ate the whole thing in three bites!!! Other items offered on the menu at Romeo’s Hot Pawz are “The Classic Peanut Butter”, “Carob Chip Cookies”, “Muddy Pawz”, “Breath Busterz” and “Sensitive Tummy Treats”. Further information can be found at www.romeoshotpawz.com
Nova’s Arkis a registered charity situated in Brooklin, Ontario that is home to over 200 animals. Founded by a
former special education facilitator and recently retired elementary school principle named Mary-Ann Nova. Nova’s Ark is entirely run by volunteers and was created to help fill the gap of inclusion that so many children with special needs face every day. Most of the volunteers at the Nova’s Ark booth were teenagers each in charge of their own animals. The sense of community among them was almost overwhelming and I couldn’t help but be envious of the opportunity to combine helping both animals and children with special needs at the same time. This is definitely a place I’ll be visiting in the future! Further information can be found at www.novasark.ca
Golden Resuce
After making the tour covering all the booths I volunteered my pup for the Doggy Fashion Show and then also had him run through the rally-o mini course. Before leaving I stopped by the Golden Rescue tent to grab some information for a friend. I couldn’t help but be surprised after speaking to the booth attendants and hearing of all the many Golden Retrievers they presently have for adoption. For further Golden Rescue information go to their website a twww.goldenrescue.ca
Although this festival was not nearly as big as many of the Toronto ones, it was nice to see the York and Durham Region pet owners come out to support their local businesses and participate in a fun filled day. I will definitely be returning again for Durham Pet Fest 2012!
– Jessica
Pawsuit of Happiness Dog Walking, Training and Pet Services caters to the York and Durham Regions and was founded by Jessica Trattner, a lifelong dog lover who has owned, walked and trained dogs for over 10 years. Her goal with Pawsuit of Happiness Dog Walking, Training and Pet Services is to give the best possible experience to both pets and owners alike by providing a safe, friendly and enjoyable experience for all. Further information can be found atwww.pawsuitofhappiness.com and also via her Facebook page under “Pawsuit of Happiness”
woofhausen 