By Julia Train
What’s better than a fall block party? A fall block party with your BFF (best furry friend)!
On Saturday, Sept. 16, Laddie’s Legacy, a 501(c)(3) that aims to save pets’ lives, and Absecon Veterinary Hospital hosted their third annual Bark in the Park at Atlantic County’s 4-H fairgrounds to raise funds.
Named after a beloved Maine coon kitten that was surrendered to Absecon Veterinary Hospital because his owner couldn’t afford the increasing medical fees, Laddie’s Legacy aims to prevent that from happening to other animals by providing financial assistance for lifesaving care.
There were dogs as far as the eye could see. They were everywhere. Dogs were lying down, going through obstacle courses, playing, painting and eating pie.
The fairgrounds were filled with dog-related small and local businesses next to each other, selling treats, accessories, harnesses, leashes, bow ties and even grooming services.
One of these businesses was High Spirits Studio, created by 18-year-old Isabella Hedrich, who digitally draws custom pet portraits and sells them on shirts or as prints.
“I love art. And I love animals. And I can’t decide which one I want to do. So I decided to put the two together,” she said.
Hedrich hopes to use her profit to fulfill her dream of building an animal sanctuary. Although she doesn’t have an Etsy store, those interested in purchasing a digital portrait of their furry friends can reach out to her on Instagram.
Other featured businesses include Mays Landing’s Pets Plus, which was handing out free treats, and Bully Bows, which was selling bows, harnesses and leashes. Nails to Tails was also there, completing on-site grooming.
There were also “normal fall block party” vendors and activities there too. Bark in the Park had food trucks, fall decor, face painting, a petting zoo, handmade goods, lawn games, clothing vendors, and a beer garden.
In addition to activities like musical sit, there was a dog show that allowed owners to show off their pups and let them compete for different titles, such as “most adorable adult,” “celebrity look alike,” “most unique” or “most obedient.”
The event showcased a handful of breeds that were at the park that day. There were doodles, Frenchies, dachshunds, huskies and more, all with different life stories.
Some were just part of the family, while others also spent time helping people.
Mandy Lowe and Rob Luke were attending with their Dalmatian Allie, who was lying on the ground, exhausted from such a stimulating day.
The couple brought the two-year-old pup in order to socialize her because they’re in the midst of training her to become a therapy dog for nursing homes, a road they’ve been on since purchasing her from a breeder.
“We did all of the different training that they had [at PetSmart] and then we worked up to therapy dog training and then she [passed] the ‘Canine Good Citizen Test,’” said Lowe. “We have friends that have therapy dogs, so we just kind of joined the group with them. We kind of joked about it because Dalmatians are very hyper but her temperament is so nice. She’s really calm for a Dalmatian.”
Although visibly spent, Allie never turned down scratches from strangers, which seemed to be a common theme for most pups that day.
For more information on Laddie’s Legacy, visit www.laddieslegacy.org.
For more information on the Absecon Veterinary Hospital, visit www.abseconvet.com.
Julia is a student at Rider University, majoring in multiplatform journalism with a minor in social media strategies. At school, she writes and copy edits for The Rider News and is the News Director for the radio station, producing news updates. She’ll be graduating in the spring. Connect with her on Instagram @juliatrain
