Mutts strut in Suffolk on Sunday

Published 10:24 pm Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Tails will be wagging Sunday afternoon.

The Suffolk Humane Society and Suffolk Parks and Recreation will host the second annual Mutt Strut Dog Walk and Festival Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. at Sleepy Hole Park.

“It’s going to be a great day,” said Kay Hurley, director of community outreach for the Suffolk Humane Society. “If you love pets or like animals, it’s a great outing for a Sunday afternoon.”

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The festival will have a host of activities for pets and pet owners alike, including canine costume contests, an ice cream for dogs eating contest and a place for pet owners to get personal portraits with their pets.

But the main event Sunday will be a special performance by the Purina Incredible Dog team.

“They alone are really worth coming for,” Hurley said.

The team is made up of athletically trained dogs that have traveled across the country performing high-energy entertainment that includes back flips and Frisbee work.

“It shows what shelter dogs are capable of doing with a little TLC,” Hurley said.

The festival will also include plenty of educational information for pet owners, including a place where owners can consult a vet about specific issues or learn more about proper pet safety.

“That’s a great thing for a lot of families,” Hurley said. “What a great way to have your children know about responsible pet care? You’re taking them here and letting them see what things can be done.”

And as with most every Suffolk Humane Society event, potential pet owners interested in adopting a pet will have the ability to do so on Sunday.

“Anyone who wants to may be able to have a new best friend that day,” Hurley said.

The festival is free and open to the public, but whoever wants to participate in the walk-a-thon (with or without dogs) will need to pay a registration fee of $15.

For more information or to register, visit www.suffolkhumanesociety.com