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Tired of sitting in and counting the raindrops? An event this weekend could help cure cabin fever for both you and your dog.
Just grab Fido, put on your favorite pair of shoes and head over to the Compassionate Animal Relief Effort’s Fifth Annual Walk for the Animals on Saturday. CARE will welcome dogs and their owners for a day of fun and food at FDR Park, Broad Street and Pattison Avenue.
The event is about more than getting in some exercise. CARE, which was founded in South Philadelphia in 1995, wants to draw attention to its noble cause.
"Our charter calls for the spaying and neutering of mostly stray cats and dogs," said CARE founder and president Christine Mikz.
Thousands of perfectly adoptable strays are being euthanized each year at the city’s animal shelters because of the high population of animals, she noted.
Mikz sat on the board of a city animal shelter for nearly 13 years. She walked away from her post, disgusted with the high annual rates of euthanasia. "Most shelters only give strays about two weeks, after which time if they’re not adopted, they’re euthanized," Mikz said.
She hopes residents who spot strays will give CARE a call before they decide to get in touch with a shelter.
"We need community support. If you’re feeding strays, please let us know. We’ll make the appointment for the animals to get spayed," Mikz said. In certain cases, CARE even picks up the tab.
Spaying and neutering is only half the battle. CARE also takes an active role in animal adoption. Nearly every Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., CARE sets up shop at the Queen Village Animal Hospital at Fourth and Bainbridge and offers enticing adoption prices: $50 for unspayed or unneutered kittens; $70 for spayed and neutered cats and dogs.
At the same time, other members of the all-volunteer CARE team — which consists of about 15-20 South Philly residents — care for foster animals in their own homes until permanent owners can be found.
John and Gina Daniels, self-professed "animal nuts" and residents of the 2500 block of South Clarion Street, count two dogs, nine cats and three rabbits among the members of their family. Their guinea pig just gave birth to a littler of 11, which are also wards in the Daniels home until new owners can be found.
The Danielses will be among the 40-50 participants expected at Saturday’s dog walk, which will run from 9:30 a.m. until about noon. The event will start with a host of games for both the dogs and their owners. And all humans — as well as lucky dogs who get to snack on the scraps — will be treated to a post-walk South Philly picnic, featuring hoagies, pretzels and Tastykakes.
Mikz is hoping for better weather at this year’s walk, which last year was washed out by a rainstorm that was "like a typhoon," she said.
Saturday’s walk is free, but CARE is in need of financial donations and large cages that can be used to house stray animals during their post-op recovery.
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For more information, call Christine Mikz at 215-590-9522 or visit CARE on the Web at www.petfinder.com.
