A Walk in the Park for Dog Lovers

It was a beautiful day last Saturday, Oct. 15 — nice enough to take a walk in the park, which is exactly what more than 60 people, and their dogs, did at Avenel Local Park for the 22nd Annual Dog Walk and Pet Fair, hosted by the Montgomery County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

The event is the organization's largest fundraiser with proceeds going to support the animal foster program. Each year the event is a little bigger than the year before. . Caitlin Grant raised the most money again this year. Her goal was to double her donations from last year. She met it, raising $2,271 for the cause.

“Its a great cause,” remarked Lynne Diggs and Gary Bell, dog lovers and owners of Liesl, a one-and-a-half-year-old Wheaton terrier, and Nietzsche, a seven-year-old standard schnauzer.

The couple took a much needed lunch break, sans dogs, after the 10:30 a.m. walk ended, and as the two ate pizza and relaxed, a MCSPCA volunteer took Liesl and Nietzsche off for some playtime. Bell noted that it was the couple’s third year attending the walk. “It is a fun event. Our dogs are social and enjoy being with other dogs and people,” he said.

Diggs and Bell were not the only walkers that have attended the event for multiple years. Topper Schutt of USA-TV has led the walk since 1989.

Shutt said that back then he brought Honey, his late yellow lab. Now, his Cavalier King Charles Spaniel named Gibby has helped him led the Walk in recent years. Gibby, incidentally, is named after former Redskin coach, Joe Gibbs.

“I'm a dog person. I grew up with dogs and this is a great cause,” Schutt said.

For more information on the MCSPCA and to see where they will hold their next adoption day visit www.MCSPCA.org.