When:  Thursday October 24

Time:  1pm-4pm

Where: Sea Trail Convention Center, Sunset Beach

This year’s the Wag Shag is near Halloween, dogs are invited to wear costumes.  A buffet luncheon will be served.

Pet owners are invited to bring their well-behaved canine companion along to join the fun. In addition to the luncheon, several contests are planned for attendees who bring along their canine friends.

Obedience and other demonstrations will be conducted, and a pet photographer will be on hand to photograph canine attendees and their humans.  A few canine escorts from local rescue groups will also be available for those desiring a “doggy date” for the afternoon.

Advance tickets are on sale now: Adult $35, children under 12 $20 and dogs enter free.  Tickets must be purchased in advance and will not be sold at the door.

For additional information call 910-579-4707

When:  Saturday, October 9

Where:  Wrightsville Beach North Carolina

Time: 11AM – 6:30 pm

Save the date! Mighty mutts and playful purebreds will leap to the sky to catch flying discs at the 2010 Skyhoundz Hyperflight Canine Disc Championships.

The best part is that no experience is necessary and admission is free to both spectators and competitors. All competitors will receive a free official Hyperflite K-10 Competition Standard flying disc and the top three teams will receive awards.

Contestants and their canine teammates will earn points for basic throws and catches, with bonus points for mid-air catches in this distance/accuracy event. The event welcomes mixed-breed as well as purebred dogs.

No experience is necessary and it’s no cost to participate or observe.

Call (910) 256-7925 for more information.

Brunswick County Animal Cruelty Hotline – 910.253.0909. This hotline is sponsored by the Coalition for Humane Treatment of Animals (CHTA).

Pronounced “Cheetah,” the Coalition focuses on the broader goals of animal welfare issues primarily in, but not limited to, Brunswick County.  CHTA’s mission is to advocate animal rights, the humane treatment of companion animals, and effect change through education, enforcement, and legislation.

CHTA may also be contacted email at advocates4animals@gmail.com.

When : October 16 th  Rain date October 17th

Where: Carolina Beach Lake Park

Time: 11:00 am – 5:00 pm

Come out for the second annual Salty Paws Festival. There will be arts and crafts, pet-owners’ education, microchipping, rescued pets for adoption, dog contests, raffles, and more. This event is sponsored for Saving Animals During Disasters.

Helpful Tips & Local Area Pet Resources

Animal Bites/Scratches

Brunswick County Animal Services is available 24 hours/day 7 days a week. To report an animal bite Monday-Friday 8-4:30PM  call 910-754-8204   Call 911 all other times.

Thoroughly clean the wound by washing with soap and tap water as soon as possible. A light scrubbing should occur during the wash. Then put a clean and dry bandage over the area. This treatment should not replace proper evaluation by a doctor.

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For After-hours Animal Emergency Service

Contact One of These Veterinary Emergency Hospitals:

Animal Emergency Clinic of Wilmington

5333 Oleander Drive
Wilmington, NC 28403
910-791-7387

Grand Strand Emergency Clinic

303 Highway 15
Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
843-445-9797

A group is putting together a plan to take Brunswick County’s animal shelter off the health department’s list of duties.

Rescue Animals Community Effort, or RACE, Inc., is pursing nonprofit status and intends to make a formal pitch to take over the shelter’s operations in January to health board members and county commissioners.

“It’s going to allow us to bring volunteers in,” Cheri McLain, a resident of Shallotte and the group’s president, said Monday about the proposal.

McLain said the group is hoping that if the shelter is privatized, volunteers can do more work to promote adoptable animals and decrease the number of animals who are euthanized when they’re not adopted.

“I think we can really increase the adoption rate,” she said.

David Stanley, the health department’s environmental health director, said the county’s shelter adopts out about 1,000 animals in a typical year. It takes in about 6,000 animals a year.

He said the shelter’s annual budget is $800,000.

If a privatizing agreement were approved, the county would contract with the group and allocate it money to run the shelter. Health officials plan to meet with the group next week to start discussing how a privatized budget would work under an agreement.

Stanley said the health department still would be responsible for animal services, such as collecting strays and enforcing animal ordinances.

He said that for many health departments, the public health functions also absorbed adoption responsibilities.

Brunswick County Health Director Don Yousey said he does not think the health department should be involved in the business of animal adoptions. He said in the past, the agency has had to balance funding for services such as women’s mammograms when un-budgeted shelter needs came up.

“I don’t think those programs should be competing with each other,” he said.

Yousey said privatizing would mean the nonprofit group could recruit volunteers, which the county department does not do because of liability concerns. The group also could have the time to raise funds that the department would not.

“They can do better than we’ve done,” he said to board members Monday night.

By Vicky Eckenrode
Vicky.Eckenrode@starnewsonline.com

When: Sept 7-11 2010

Where : Legion Stadium
2131 Carolina Beach Rd
Wilmington, NC 28401

The swimming pool at Wilmington’s Legion Stadium is going to the dogs.
Proceeds benefit the Pender County Humane Society. This is a really fun event for the dogs. Bring water and whatever floaty toy your dog will chase! See ya there!

For more information call (910) 341-7863