Mutt Strut helps county sheriff’s K-9 unit

Last Updated on Tuesday, September 11, 2012 01:35 pm Written by Staff Reports Sunday, September 09, 2012 09:52 am

Mutt Strut helps county sheriff’s K-9 unit

CAPE MAY – Dog owners and their canine companions are invited to stroll Cape May’s beachfront promenade from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Sept. 15 for the sixth annual Mutt Strut.

The event is truly an “every dog has its day”- the one time other than winter for participating dogs to enjoy a walk on the promenade.

Owners can strut with their dogs for a requested donation of $1 per leg ($2 per person, $4 per dog). Registration is required to allow dogs on the promenade and is held near Convention Hall, Beach Avenue and Gurney Street. The rain date is Sunday, Sept. 16.

Walkers support a worthwhile cause, with half of the proceeds going to purchase K-9 ballistic vests for the Cape May County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Unit. The K-9s are currently unprotected in their work and the cost of just one vest ranges from $1,000 to $2,000. According to the Cape May County Sheriff’s Office, police K-9 vests are extremely important because K-9s are deployed mostly into high risk situations. Unfortunately, K-9 vests are generally more expensive than human vests, but the K-9s deserve the same protection as their human partners.

The event sponsor, Cape May County Dog Obedience Training Club (CMCDOTC), an AKC-affiliated club, has held dog training classes for over 30 years. Part of the event’s proceeds help the group’s training classes and canine community outreach activities.

Last year’s Mutt Strut raised over $4,000 and over the past five years the event donated almost $6,000 to the Animal Outreach Shelter Building Fund. This year’s goal is to help purchase two vests for the sheriff’s K-9s.

The Mutt Strut is held as part of the American Kennel Club (AKC) Responsible Dog Ownership Days, a nationwide initiative to educate the public about the importance of being a responsible dog owner and the need for all owners to train their pets.

The Mutt Strut is a fun family event with dog goodies, door prizes, giveaways, children’s booklets and auction items from the generosity of area merchants. Other area groups will be attending with educational and information materials on dog ownership, adoption, and training, along with information on the sheriff’s K-9 Unit.

Only dogs registered for the Mutt Strut are allowed on the promenade. Cape May regulations require dogs to be on a leash not more than six feet long. Dogs are not allowed on the beach and owners must clean-up after pets. All dogs must have current rabies vaccinations. Females in heat, young puppies, and aggressive dogs will all be more comfortable at home.

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