POSTED: Sunday, Sep. 06, 2009

Humane Society festival celebrates dogs

The Dog Days of Summer best canine costume contest featured a cowgirl decked out in pink, a purple-winged butterfly, a pair of black and white cows and what appeared to be a walking taco.

Carmella, an 8-month-old Chihuahua, was wrapped in a yellow cotton "shell" with brown yarn for hamburger and yellow and green ribbons for lettuce and cheese. Her four little legs, head and tail were the only parts not covered by the costume made by her owner, Penny Mumford.

"I was just trying to think of something to keep her warm," said Mumford, who was one of many dog owners who withstood high winds and cool temperatures to attend the event Sunday, Sept. 6.

Carmella won second in the contest which took place on the softball field at Lake Padden Park.

This was the ninth year for the Dog Days of Summer festival, which helps raise money for the Whatcom Humane Society.

The day-long event featured contests, interactive dog games as well as animal-friendly vendors and booths.

The first contest of the day was best groomed, and first-place was awarded to an 11-month-old golden retriever named Jolie.

Owners Carol and Bill Brunkow said they attributed Jolie's clean and glossy coat to the groomers at Boo's Parlour and to the twice-weekly swims Jolie takes at Lap of Luxury, a doggie spa in Lynden that offers therapeutic swim sessions.

"We didn't plan on entering today. I just ran the comb through briefly before we left," Carol Brunkow said.

Meanwhile across the field, a booth belonging to Old Dog Haven, a nonprofit group that provides homes for abandoned senior dogs, stayed busy with visitors.

"The main goal is to get (senior dogs) out of shelters," said Ron Kerrigan, Old Dog Haven's board president and Web master.

Kerrigan brought along his 12-year-old Saluki, Amy, a former 4-H dog with lupus who had been given up by her owners when she didn't get along with their new puppy. Old Dog Haven has about 138 dogs in foster homes from Blaine to northern Oregon, Kerrigan said.

"We're here raising money, but our primary goal is to raise awareness," he said.