Washington County Enterprise-Leader
Pool Open For Soggy Dogs
AQUATIC CENTER TO HAVE PARTY FOR PRAIRIE GROVE POUND
PRAIRIE GROVE — The Prairie Grove Aquatic Center is going to the dogs, hopefully, a lot of dogs.
The Prairie Grove City Council recently agreed to a request to allow the pool to be used for a Soggy Doggy Pool Party to benefit the Friends of Prairie Grove Pound.
The goal of the party, said Lisa Bement, president, is to bring awareness to the Prairie Grove Pound and to raise money to help the Friends take care of the animals.
The party will be held after the pool is closed for the season, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 24. Cost is $10 for the first dog, $5 for each additional dog. Humans are free. Dogs only, no people, will be allowed to get in the pool at the party.
Stephanie Conway, who is coordinating the fundraiser, said dogs have to be spayed or neutered, vaccinated, dog friendly and people friendly.
Owners will have to sign a waiver to release the city of any liability. Pet owners also will be required to watch their animals, clean up after them and be responsible for the dog’s behavior.
“I gave them my word we would leave the facility as we found it,” Bement said.
The party will include a summer theme costume party for the dogs. Penguin Eds will have food for purchase. Other vendors will include animal rescues and groomers. Dogs available for adoption also will be on site.
The women are hoping that 100 dogs show up for the party and that the event is so successful it becomes an annual fundraiser for the group.
Bement helped form the Friends of the Prairie Grove Pound in June 2012, as a support group for the pound. The police department is in charge of animal control for the city and picks up animals.
When an animal comes to the city, the Friends “goes into action,” Bement said.
The Friends seeks to place dogs and cats into foster homes and permanent homes. Bement said she tries to avoid taking animals to the Washington County Animal Shelter, mainly because of the $85 fee per animal and because the county shelter stays full.
In the past year, she said 130 dogs and cats have been adopted or placed into rescues. She has a good success rate, noting, “I’ve yet to have a dog returned to the pound.”
The group raises its own money to benefit the pound. Costs include vet fees and bills and transportation costs. It also uses donations and money from fundraisers to help improve the facility. The Friends provided tarps for the kennels so the animals would have shade during hot summer days and installed a misting system for the dog pens. It is saving money right now to insulate the roof so that the kennels can have heat and cold air.
“We’re fundraising all the time,” she said.
Police Chief Carl Dorman said the pound takes in 200-250 dogs and cats each year. He said the Friends of Prairie Grove Pound has helped the facility in several ways.
“They’ve made it a better place for the animals and helped with finding homes,” Dorman said, noting the group can spend time on the program that the police department is not able to do.
For more information about the Friends of the Prairie Grove Pound, go to their Facebook page. The city’s website has a link for the police department that shows animals for adoption.