Dogs at Faires
If you've ever run into me at a barter faire, you've undoubtedly met my dog Juneau. He LOVES the faires, where he gets lots of attention and compliments, and gets to sniff and play with other dogs. He is always on a leash and goes with us everywhere, but unfortunately not all the doggies at the faire are so well taken care of. There are many dogs that are not on a leash, running loose and causing trouble (dog fights, messes, or even injuries) at the faires. Juneau was attacked by a couple of pitbulls at our first Gathering (they were both running around off-leash and un-neutered) and thankfully we were right there to break up the fight. There have been children bitten at faires, lots of lost dogs, and many dogs cruelly chained to cars and left alone in campsites. Dogs can cause problems, but more often than not, the problem stems from an irresponsible doggie parent.
Because of the problems dogs and their owners cause, the folks organizing the Okanogan Family Faire have considered banning dogs altogether. I really don't want to see this happen. Juneau would hate to miss out on one of his favorite events, and since he has separation anxiety it would be very difficult to leave him at home. Pooches provide warmth on cold nights, lots of love, entertainment, and companionship at the faires, and I wouldn't want them to be left out of the fun. So I am volunteering to be a "dog coordinator" at the Okanogan Family Faire this year, and hopefully if we can get the doggies under control and prove that everyone can be responsible for their companions, we can prevent dogs from being banned.
The rules are tightening up this year, so I need your cooperation in making sure that everyone has a great faire and doggies will continue to be welcome. PLEASE keep your dogs on a leash (and have a responsible person holding the leash) at all times! Even small dogs or dogs that are usually good off-leash can react differently in unfamiliar situations, and we certainly don't want your friend to get lost or get in a fight. If you're bringing your dog, be prepared to pay the fee ($35). Doggy patrol volunteers will be tagging dogs that are paid for and watching for dogs that aren't. Please don't chain your furry friend or leave him or her unattended at any time. Dogs are like children, they need supervision and lots of love.
To join the discussion about dogs at the faire, please see the forum discussion. We'd love your input. And, we always need volunteers! When you get to the gate, you can mention that you'd like to be a doggy patrol volunteer and help out.
With your help, it will be a great faire for ALL species, and we can keep dogs at the Tonasket faire!
EDIT: The dog rules have now been decided upon. To see dog guidlines and information, check out this flyer. More information is available on the OFF site. And we definitely need your help! To volunteer for dog patrol, just stop at the volunteer bus before heading into the faire and let them know you'd like to help. Remember that four hours of volunteering gets you into the faire for free, and you might even get to work with me to make this faire safer and happier for dogs and people. :)
Because of the problems dogs and their owners cause, the folks organizing the Okanogan Family Faire have considered banning dogs altogether. I really don't want to see this happen. Juneau would hate to miss out on one of his favorite events, and since he has separation anxiety it would be very difficult to leave him at home. Pooches provide warmth on cold nights, lots of love, entertainment, and companionship at the faires, and I wouldn't want them to be left out of the fun. So I am volunteering to be a "dog coordinator" at the Okanogan Family Faire this year, and hopefully if we can get the doggies under control and prove that everyone can be responsible for their companions, we can prevent dogs from being banned.
The rules are tightening up this year, so I need your cooperation in making sure that everyone has a great faire and doggies will continue to be welcome. PLEASE keep your dogs on a leash (and have a responsible person holding the leash) at all times! Even small dogs or dogs that are usually good off-leash can react differently in unfamiliar situations, and we certainly don't want your friend to get lost or get in a fight. If you're bringing your dog, be prepared to pay the fee ($35). Doggy patrol volunteers will be tagging dogs that are paid for and watching for dogs that aren't. Please don't chain your furry friend or leave him or her unattended at any time. Dogs are like children, they need supervision and lots of love.
To join the discussion about dogs at the faire, please see the forum discussion. We'd love your input. And, we always need volunteers! When you get to the gate, you can mention that you'd like to be a doggy patrol volunteer and help out.
With your help, it will be a great faire for ALL species, and we can keep dogs at the Tonasket faire!
EDIT: The dog rules have now been decided upon. To see dog guidlines and information, check out this flyer. More information is available on the OFF site. And we definitely need your help! To volunteer for dog patrol, just stop at the volunteer bus before heading into the faire and let them know you'd like to help. Remember that four hours of volunteering gets you into the faire for free, and you might even get to work with me to make this faire safer and happier for dogs and people. :)
