A Very Good Dog Has His Day

Smokey’s Day is September 14th in Norwalk, Connecticut.

By Kelli Banet, Best Friends Network Volunteer

Connecticut dog owners, mark your calendars! The third annual Smokey’s Day celebration will be held at Taylor Farm Park on Sunday, September 14th. This year, events will include a celebrity dog walk with Norwalk’s own Mayor Moccia. There will be agility, Frisbee, and police dog demonstrations, as well as a salute to therapy dogs. Visit Smokey’s Day to talk to breed clubs and representatives from Our Companions, Connecticut’s first large-scale animal sanctuary! Contests include dog grooming and dog/owner look-alike! There will also be special events for kids, including face painting and an agility and obstacle slide.

Smokey’s Day is a free event for pets and their people. Visitors are encouraged to participate in the raffle and to make donations. All proceeds from the event benefit the Animal Cancer Foundation. The ACF’s mission, according to its website, is: “To develop and support research that advances the prevention and treatment of cancer for people and pets.” The ACF is a 501(c)(03) non-profit, established in 1999 by Dr. Gerald Post. Dr. Post is a board certified veterinary oncologist, and the founder of Norwalk’s Veterinary Oncology and Hematology Center.

By now you may be wondering about Smokey himself. Smokey was a miniature schnauzer. He was Dr. Post’s constant companion for fifteen years. Smokey was diagnosed with metastatic melanoma when he was about twelve and a half years old. Metastatic melanoma is an aggressive cancer, and Smokey’s had already spread from a tiny spot on his paw to his lungs. For many dogs, this diagnosis would mean about three months left to live. Luckily for Smokey, his dad loved him very much and happened to be a veterinary oncologist! Dr. Post’s devotion to his beloved companion, plus three experimental vaccines and chemotherapy, allowed Smokey to enjoy another two and a half years of life.

So bring your family and your dog(s) to the park between 12 p.m. and 4 p.m. The third annual Smokey’s Day promises fun for all! Have a great time and help raise funds to prevent, treat, and ultimately cure cancer in pets and people.

How You Can Help:

Attend Smokey’s Day!
Who: You, and your human and canine family members
When: Sunday, September 14th, 2008, from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Where: Taylor Farm Park, Norwalk Connecticut (near Calf Pasture Beach)

Can’t attend, but still want to help? Make a donation to the Animal Cancer Foundation.

Posted by: Kelli Banet
Photo of Smokey and information from the Veterinary Oncology and Hematology Center website used with permission.