Save the Date - December 8, 2009, 7:30pm

A resolution to identify space for a dog park in West Hartford will be presented at the Town Council meeting on December 8th and we need your support!

The meeting will be at 7:30pm at Town Hall. For this to succeed, we need you there. More information will be distributed shortly, but please go ahead and mark your calendars and plan to attend this important event.

Please select the link below to let us know that you are planning on attending.
http://www.evite.com/pages/invite/viewInvite.jsp?event=UJHWHBRBCMNELPOLXJQV&inviteId=TEJZPLMTKKBURBBRMOXG&showPreview=false&x=726904534

Thank you!

"I Do Dog Tricks"

This is the cutest website ever!



Type in a command and see what happens... Sit, roll over, down, stand, sing, dance, shake, fetch, play dead, etc. And...it's also cute if you type in a command that's not recognized...!!
Type in 'Kiss' too, but do it last.

ENJOY!!!!!

Why Everyone Should Have a Dog

Here is a fun little video that's sure to bring a smile to your face! Enjoy.

Pooch Plunge Photos are Online!

We hope you were all able to join us Monday night for our second annual Pooch Plunge!We had twice the attendance as last year, and all dogs and people seemed to have a gret time.

Lisa Asp of Studio 970 Photography was on hand photographing the event. To see the photos and order copies for yourself, please head to our website (www.westhartforddogpark.org), click "enter", then "Photos" at the bottom right of your screen and follow directions on that page.

All orders will be professionally color corrected and printed and 100% of the proceeds from your order will go directly to the West Hartford Dog Park! Feel free to make a donation to the dog park while you're on the order screen.

Please let us know if you have questions. Enjoy!

Dog Swim was a Success

What a perfect night for our second annual "Pooch Plunge"! We had twice the turnout as last year, and both dogs and owners had a blast. Watch the blog for info on how to see photos from this year--all order proceeds will go directly to the West Hartford Dog park Coalition! In the meantime, check out this video from the Pooch Plunge:

Second Annual Pooch Plunge is Scheduled!

Join the West Hartford Dog Park Coalition for our second annual Pooch Plunge! The dog swim event will be held the evening of Monday, August 24th at Kennedy Pool in West Hartford from 5:00pm-7:30pm. Mark your calendar for the best dog event in West Hartford! Admission is just $5.00 per dog. Because this was such a popular event last year, time in the pool will be limited to one hour so all dogs have a chance to swim.


For those who did not participate last year, we hold the event the day after the pool closes for the summer. Dogs are given open access to the pool and get an opportunity to socialize with other area dogs. For pictures from last year's fun event (courtesy of Lisa Asp with Studio 970 Photography), see the slideshow!





Make Sure Your Dog is LicensedPlease note that only dogs with a current town license will be allowed to participate. If you are a West Hartford resident, click here for details on getting your dog licensed.


Event sponsors will be on hand this year, so be sure you visit and thank them for their support! Sponsors will include:
West Hartford Pet Sitters
UberDog
CT Pet Pros

June is Dog License Renewal Month

June is dog license renewal month in Town Clerks' offices throughout the state, and the West Hartford Town Clerk’s Office mailed postcard reminders to over 3,000 dog owners, urging owners to make their pets “legal.”

Town Clerk Essie Labrot says that according to state law, all dogs over 6 months of age must be registered and receive a dog tag annually. The numbered tag serves as identification for any pet that may wander away from home. The annual cost for dog licenses is $19.00 for unaltered animals and $8.00 for neutered or spayed animals.

In addition, all dogs must be vaccinated against rabies and a certificate from the veterinarian must be presented in order to purchase a license. If a pet is being licensed for the first time and has been altered, a certificate from the vet again must be presented.

Applications for dog licenses may be made through the mail or in person at the Town Clerk’s Office. You may reach the Town Clerk's office at (860) 561-7430. The office is located in Town Hall, Room 313, 50 South Main Street. The office hours are Monday and Wednesday, 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM, Tuesday, 7:30 AM - 4:30 PM, Thursday, 8:30 AM - 7:00 PM, and closed Friday.
http://www.west-hartford.com/TownServices/TownDepartments/TownClerk/DogLicenses.htm

Memorial Day Parade

Thanks to everyone who came out to help us march in the parade! It was a great day, the dogs were very well behaved and everyone had a good time. Enjoy the photos...

Rocky Hill Dog Park Spring Fest

Join the Rocky Hill Dog Park in their upcoming fundraiser "Paws for the Park Spring Fest". It will be held at Veteran’s Memorial Amphitheater in Elm Ridge Park, Saturday, May 30 (rain date 6/6), 10:00am–3:00pm. Fox 61's Joe Furey will host the event.

Admission is $10 per person or $20 per family, and dogs are welcome to attend! Activities will include:

Demos (Agility, Service Dogs, K-9, Dancing Dogs)

Pet Psychic

Microchipping

Local Vendors

Adoptable Animals

Dog Tag Engraving

Dog Games and Photos

Food and Beverages

Silent Auction

More information can be found at: http://www.rhparkrec.org/

Please join us to walk in the West Hartford Memorial Day Parade!

We are seeking volunteers (and their four legged friends) to walk in the Memorial Day Parade on Monday, May 25th. If you are interested, please respond to this email or contact our leader for this event, Caroline Gaetano at barkeater@sbcglobal.net.

This event was so much fun last year, that we decided it would be a great event to do again this year and a great opportunity for dog park supporters to get together and continue to show the town how much we support this project. We hope to see you there!


Details for the event:
- Well behaved dogs are welcomed to walk with you, but they must be on a leash.
- We will meet at Farmington Avenue, west of Newport Avenue at 9:45am on Monday.
- Please wear your WHDPC green shirt or another green shirt (shirts will also be available for sale for $10).
- Make sure you bring bags to clean up after your dog and water for your pet.

Also, as an update on the dog park, the project is still kickin and has been re-energized through the support of Town Councilor, Joe Verrengia. Joe is working closely with our organization to identify a site for this park and has been extremely supportive. Though we have not finalized a location, a potential site has been identified and is currently being vetted.

As always, we thank you for your continued support of this project. We hope that you will be able to join us on the 25th and display your support to the Town.

Thank you,
West Hartford Dog Park Coalition
Website: http://www.westhartforddogpark.org/
Email: westhartforddogpark@gmail.com