Woofstock showcases pets in need of adoption

By Cyndi Kight
Correspondent

VIRGINIA BEACH

This Saturday, pet lovers can break out their bell-bottoms, tie-dye T-shirts and love beads to help some of the city's unwanted animals.

From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Red Wing Park will be the site of the first Woofstock presented by Virginia Beach Animal Control and the Virginia Beach Department of Health.

Though the free, pet-friendly event has been held each year since 2005 and was known as Pet Palooza, according to Juleen Ballance, Animal Control supervisor, organizers decided to change the name to avoid confusion with a similarly named Norfolk event.

Plus, Ballance said, "This is the 40th anniversary of Woodstock, so we just did a play on that name."

Dogs and cats will be available for adoption, city pet licenses will be available, and rabies shots will be available for $5.

Ballance said that she is looking forward to the adoptions.

"That's a large part of our mission," she said. "We are constantly trying to increase our adoptions and help the pets find good, lifelong homes."

In addition to animals from the city shelter, there will also be vendors and representatives from a number of rescue organizations, said Gay Latimer, a volunteer with the Friends of Virginia Beach Animal Control who is helping to coordinate Woofstock.

Canine assistance organizations include dalmatian rescue, bichon rescue, German shepherd rescue and golden retriever rescue. There will be a cat rescue, too, said Latimer, and Bennett's Creek Reptile Rescue will attend.

Latimer, a Thalia resident who is also the director of National Greyhound Adoption in Virginia said that her organization will be hosting a demonstration race with five to six greyhounds during the day.

"The race is less than a minute," Latimer said, "but they can go 45 miles per hour in that time."

The Virginia Beach Police Department's K-9 teams and the Virginia Beach Mounted Patrol will also give demonstrations.

Latimer noted that there will be competitions, such as the tie-dye contest and a pet fashion show, plus musical entertainment by Bryan and the Rockets.

Because of the importance of getting the animals out of the shelter, Latimer has high hopes for Woofstock.

"It's going to be a total love fest for the animals."

Cyndi Kight, kightcw@yahoo.com