What's Up - Your guide to what's happening in Fayetteville, AR this week!
Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/1013324
D espite being a rather small facility, it takes between $25,000 and $35,000 a year to run the Prairie Grove Pound as its managers strive to reduce the homeless pet population in the area. But with pop-up, low-cost spay/neuter clinics; a feral cat trap, neuter, release program; and a euthanasia rate of less than 1 percent, the modest pound and its nonprofit support organization, Friends of the Prairie Grove Pound, have accomplished a great deal of good in helping the animals of Northwest Arkansas. "We work with them until we find a home," says Sharon Glover, vice president of the nonprofit. "And we've had some hard cases, let me tell 'ya. But we stick with them until they find a home. And so far, knock on wood, we've been able to find homes for everybody that needed one." Following the completion of the organization's permanent clinic next to the pound, Glover anticipates being able to help innumerably more animals as the 3,000-square-foot building will house not only the spay/neuter clinic but much-needed storage and a large meet-and-greet room where adoption events can be held. A new collaboration with Prairie Grove schools will allow children to come in and read to dogs as a way of socializing, and other community outreach events will raise awareness for the animals. Toward that end, Glover explains part of the funds from the organization's annual Soggy Doggy pool party fundraiser will go to finishing this building, in addition to supporting daily operating costs. The event is a dogs-only swim party at the Prairie Grove Aquatic Park (although humans may come and watch), and takes place the weekend after the park closes to humans for the season. Don't worry — the water is drained for the winter after the pups are gone! "It's just amazing how beautifully everybody gets along," Glover enthuses. "And the most wonderful thing is just watching them. It doesn't cost anything to come just watch, but it will make you laugh and feel good for the rest of the week." — JOCELYN MURPHY JMURPHY@NWADG.COM Enter Your Pet in the 2019 Pet Calendar Contest Fundraiser Today! PRESENTED BY: YOUR PET COULD BE A CELEBRITY! It's easy, and all proceeds benefit the Newspapers in Education (NIE) program which provides no-cost newspapers for literacy projects in Northwest Arkansas Schools. STARTING FRIDAY, JULY 6TH, we are looking for the TOP 12 pets in NWA to feature in our 20th Annual NIE Pet Calendar. One pet out of the 12 will win Pet of the Year and will be featured in full color on the cover of the 2019 NIE Pet Calendar. All 12 winning pets receive a professional pet portrait session and are featured in the calendar. However, all pets that make the Top 36 will make an appearance in the calendar. TO ENTER: • Provide/Upload ONE clear, sharp, color photo of each entry. • Photos should be of Pets only! No people (or parts of people), please! • Photos may contain more than one pet. • You may enter as many different pets as you wish. Keep in mind that friends and family votes add up, so spreading those votes among multiple entries limits your chances of placing in the calendar. (Also, it is not a photo contest, so multiple pictures of the same pet will not increase your odds of making it into the calendar) • All photos must measure at least 4"x6" and no larger than 8"x10". Digital photos must be at 300 dpi at 4"x6". No Polaroid, copyrighted or professional photos are accepted. • All photos will become property of Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette. NO PHOTOS WILL BE RETURNED. • Please include the following with each entry: Your name, address, city, state, zip. Your day and evening phone numbers. Your pet's photo indicating your pet's name on the back of photo. • There is an entry fee of $5.00 per photo submitted. Checks or credit cards (Master Card, Visa, American Express, and Discover) are accepted. You must include the card owner's full name, card number, and expiration date with the entry. We also accept Paypal! • Exotic pet owners are especially encouraged to enter. All pets are eligible. ENTER ONLINE: www.NWAdg.com/pets ENTER BY MAIL: Send photo, $5.00 entry fee & required information to NIE Pet Calendar Contest, PO Box 1187, Fayetteville, AR 72702 ENTER IN PERSON: Drop off photo, entry fee & required information to one of these newspaper locations? SPRINGDALE MORNING NEWS 2560 N. Lowell Rd., Springdale NORTHWEST ARKANSAS TIMES 212 N East Ave., Fayetteville THE WEEKLY VISTA 13026 Hwy 71, Bentonville (Next to Hook, Line & Sinker) DEADLINE FOR ENTRY: Tuesday, August 14th at 1:00pm Voting will begin Monday, July 23rd All entries will be featured online and in the newspaper September through October. If you have a pet that has passed away, you might like to honor him or her with a special "Rainbow Bridge" dedication in the calendar that will appear in a square that measures 3.25" x 2.5". For a donation of $125 you may submit a photo and a short write up in your own words about your beloved pet. Deadline is Thursday, October 11, 2018. *Pets owned by employees of Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette and their families are not eligible to compete. For more information call (479) 684-5523 or email nie@nwadg.com. NWADG.com/pets "Sasha" Winner of the 2018 pet calendar contest. Enter your cat, dog, ferret, rabbit– any animal (no humans please) in our 2019 NIE Pet Calendar Contest! R A I N BO W B R I D G E New this year! The Rainbow Bridge PRAIRIE GROVE 6 WHAT'S UP! AUGUST 12-18, 2018 FAQ Soggy Doggy Pool Party WHEN — 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Aug. 18 WHERE — Prairie Grove Aquatic Center on W. Butler Street COST — $10 per dog; free for humans INFO — 846-DOGS, or facebook. com/PrairieGrovePound FYI — Dogs must show current vaccinations, be neutered and play well with others. Food, drink and pup cones will also be available. When The Heat Is Ruff Take your pooch to the pool File Photo/ANDY SHUPE Henry reaches to catch a tennis ball during a previous Soggy Doggy pool party at the Prairie Grove Aquatic Park.