Creatures of all kinds steal the show at Auburn’s Petpalooza
Published 3:52 pm Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Banana Shake loves a tasty table scrap, a succulent bone, a crunchy treat as well as any dog.
But the 4-year-old labradoodle has been known to vary her diet with savory sides of socks, underpants, pot holders, dishtowels, toilet paper, even grotey tissues from the trash.
“She ate my gingerbread house and urped on the rug,” declared Banana Shake’s owner, 10-year-old Bailey Frisbie of Des Moines.
Bailey’s omnivorous pooch was just one of the thousands of comfort critters to wag, meow, chirp, even slither their way into Game Farm Park for Auburn’s fourth annual Petpalooza last Saturday.
The event kicked off shortly after 10 a.m. with a dog trot 3K/5K fun run, but there was plenty to do all day, between the animal-related entertainment stage, Skyhoundz Disc Dog Championships, a petting area and pony rides, the “unleashed” pet contests, agility areas, a noon pet parade, more than 150 vendor booths, giveaways and other activities.
You could get your photo taken with a small bird, snatch up tasty canine treats and look for warm and fun animal apparel.Kristy Pachiarz, special events coordinator for the Auburn Parks, Arts, and Recreation Department, estimated the crowd at 15,000, “if not more, because we’ve got extended hours this year. We’re here until 7 p.m.,” she said.
Among those who showed up was Happy, a dachshund cleverly folded into a hot dog bun garnished with a red ketchup streak.
“I’m missing the mustard and relish,” Happy’s owner, Maria Casson said of the wiener dog’s suit. “He’s a rescue dachshund. I rescued him about three months ago. I love dachshunds. Mine died last year, so I got this one.”
Next to Happy stood Liza, Casson’s friend Rosalie Reverz’s 4-year-old beagle shepherd she acquired from the Humane Society. “We go to a lot of dog events, this is the biggest one I’ve seen so far,” Reverz said of Petpalooza. “It’s wonderful to be among people who are as crazy about animals. It’s hard to walk through here and not want to adopt another animal.”
Cassie Goodson and Anthony Brandt brought their dogs, Pippin, a chihuahua, and Boden, a black Lab pit mix, as they do every year. But it was Pippin with his tiny tennis shoes who draw the most attention.
“He just needs attention all the time, and as soon as he gets attention, he’ll milk it for all its worth,” Brandt said of Pippen.
Not everything was as furry, cute or cozy as Happy or Pippin.
Jerry Cool drew an aghast crowd with the two giant snakes wrapped around his neck, Chevy and Rex, a red-tailed boa constrictor and a python.
“You want to keep ’em happy; you don’t want ’em cranky,” Cool warned.
