12 UCW APRIL 20-26, 2022
WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM
Having a ruff week? Stop by Dog Day
in the Garden on Sunday, May 1, from
noon to 5 p.m. at the Cape Fear Botani-
cal Garden.
e seventh annual event is a fun-
draiser for the garden and Fayetteville
Animal Protection Society, the only
non-profit, no-kill animal shelter in
Cumberland County. is year the event
is presented by Riverbark Veterinary
Hospital. Organizers have an afternoon
of fun planned for people — and pups —
of all ages.
Dogs can participate in a pup pag-
eant, obstacle course or get a free nail
trim. eir human companions can opt
for a family photo in front of a balloon
backdrop and decorate a picture frame
for their new snapshot. A caricature art-
ist will be on-site to sketch families and
furry friends.
Both pups and their owners can
visit nearly a dozen vendors with crafts,
foods, jewelry, fragrances and home
décor. Live music will be provided by
Whiskey Pines, an Americana band from
Southern Pines.
Blood Connection is hosting a blood
drive for those wanting to support mul-
tiple organizations in one day.
Food truck Alamo Snow will have
snow cones, cotton candy and lemon-
ade, and Jaz-N-Soul will have Caribbean
and soul food for sale. Grapes & Hops
will be a vendor at the event with dog
biscuits and a special dog "beer" for
pups to sample.
e event has grown in popularity
over the years. In 2021, an estimated
900-1200 people stopped by throughout
the day.
Dog Day in the Garden began when
both organizations had common board
members who wanted to combine ef-
forts to raise money for the garden and
the animal shelter.
"e partnership (with FAPS) has
grown so much over the years, and it
(has become) one of our favorite events,"
said Meghan Woolbright, Cape Fear Bo-
tanical Garden Marketing Coordinator.
Families looking for a canine compan-
ion can meet with dogs from FAPS look-
ing for their fur-ever homes. After a meet
and greet with the pets up for adoption,
the potential new owner will need to go
through the regular application and vet-
ting process after the event.
Jackie Stickley, executive director of
FAPS, shared a story of Dodger, a husky
and pit bull mix, surrendered to the
shelter after his owners did not properly
socialize him. He needed lots of support
and love to adjust to his new surround-
ings. Stickley decided to take him to Dog
Day in the Garden during his training.
"We expected that he wouldn't last
through the entire event, as he was
overstimulated easily. We expected this
outing to just be a part of his training,"
said Stickley. "(But) it ended up being
the outing where he met his forever fam-
ily. Dodger now is living life with people
that love him in a home that he can call
his own."
Garden members can attend for free.
Tickets for non-members are $10. People
over 65 and military receive a discount-
ed rate of $9. Tickets for children 6 to 12
are $5, and kids under 5 get in free.
e first 250 guests will receive a
"sWAG" bag filled with goodies from
event sponsors.
For more information, visit www.
capefearbg.org/event/dog-day-in-the-
garden-3.
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Fetch some fun with the whole family at Dog Day in the Garden
by CINDY WHITT
CINDY WHITT, Staff Writer.
COMMENTS? editor@upandcomin-
gweekly.com. 910-484-6200.
Dodger, above, found his forever home at a previous Dog Day in the Garden event. (Photos courtesy
Fayetteville Animal Protection Society)
