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Wednesday, June 26, 2024
Woofa-Roo Pet Festival returns for its 11th year
Donna Maclam and her dog Ridge participated in dock diving last Saturday (left) while Wismer Clydesdales provided Sunday afternoon entertainment. Festival director Lorene Clayton talks to Ron Wismer aboard the wagon. It was all part of the 11th annual Woofa-Roo Pet Festival at the Libro Centre in Amherstburg.
By Ron Giofu The Woofa-Roo Pet Festival made its return to Amherstburg on the weekend and despite the heat, the pets and their people who turned out seemed to enjoy themselves. The 11th annual pet festival was held both Saturday and Sunday at the Libro Centre and despite crowds being down, likely due to the high heat and humidity, festival director Lorene Clayton was pleased with how many people still came out. “I am blown away with the people who braved the weather to come out here,” she said Saturday afternoon. While Clayton said there hadn’t been as many people to that point to the festival, there were those that still streamed through. “People have still been here. It’s
wonderful,” she said. “People came early and brought their dogs.” The high heat forced the cancellation of the all-breed and wiener dog races last Saturday, but they returned Sunday with slightly cooler temperatures. Events that did take place throughout the weekend included the Border City Barkers, Ontario Dock Diving, vendors, a demonstration from the Windsor Police Service K-9, lure coursing, a charity howling contest, Clydesdale horses, canine “brain games,” and more. The Windsor All-Breed Training and Tracking Club and Essex County Kennel Club brought new events this year, including a “dog rally” course and a “Meet the Breed” event. Events took place both indoors and outdoors. “People look forward to it year after year,” Clayton said of the festival. She
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said people rearrange their vacations and work schedules around it. “It’s unique,” she said. “No one else does it in this area. It brings a lot of joy to the dog community.” Rescues and charities often call the Woofa-Roo Pet Festival one of their top fundraisers of the year, she added. Organizational efforts don’t take as long as when it first started, she added, but major events and vendors have to be booked months in advance. “A festival is like a moving, living thing,” she said. “It changes on the spot. You have to think on your feet to make changes. We pulled it off. I have a great deal of help. It’s fun. A lot of people enjoy it.” Cheryl House from the Essex County Kennel Club brought her soft-coated wheaten terrier. She said they were part of the dog rally though her dog is
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13-years-old and enjoys having some recreational fun. “I think it’s great,” she said of the festival. “I think it’s very educational for people.” House said rally is a sport for all dogs. “Rally is a fun sport,” she said. Deloni Leslie and her dog Pelee were among the participants in the dock diving. Pelee was the face of Woofa-Roo this year and was featured on the promotional material. Leslie, a member of the Ontario Dock Divers club, came in from Leamington for the event. “We’ve been coming since the first Woofa-Roo,” said Leslie. Leslie said she has brought multiple dogs to the event and it has been a hobby that has grown to where she takes dogs to compete at the world championship level.
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