Pet-A-Palooza

Pet-A-Palooza invaded Eau Claire Market July 25 & 26, and it was pretty darn fun. Petapalooza events are hosted all across the globe. Our own Pet-A-Palooza West was conceived in 2012 in Victoria by three individuals wanting to raise awareness of dog issues and showcase alternative services in their area. They later added Vancouver to the roster, then expanded to Calgary in 2015.

Timing coincided with Calgary’s Folk Fest on Prince’s Island Park, which made finding a parking spot a bit of a challenge, but the bonus was a fantastic acoustic backdrop. Dozens of pet vendors ranging from daycares to veterinarians to treat shops were on display; some offering free bling. The primary focus of Pet-A-Palooza West is promotion of adoption, so most of our local rescue organizations were in attendance. Dock Dogs was onsite with a demo pool, and the event’s calling card was a humorous ‘running with the bulls’ race for bully breeds.

While fun for humans, Pet-A-Palooza is an ultra-stimulating environment for dogs. It’s crowded, noisy, and crammed with lots of other canines. If you decide to have Fido participate, be sure your dog can handle such an environment, and be kind by frequently taking your dog away from the commotion for stress breaks. For more information on keeping your dog safe at public events visit: http://vetstogo.com/is-fido-festival-ready-2/

See the Event Calendar for annual updates.

Photo credit:  Petapaloozafacebook — *Photo credit: Petapaloozafacebook*