SEBASTIAN — Several dozen dogs – and their humans – formed a pack at Riverview Park in Sebastian Saturday to take a walk up to HALO Animal Rescue along Indian River Drive, stopping along the way to pick up Poker cards as part of the 7th Annual Walk For Rescues and Poker Run.
Even Santa Claus took a couple hours out of his busy schedule to be on hand for the event, posing for pet photos.
“I wanted to come down,” Santa Claus said, explaining that he saw the event mentioned online and called HALO to offer his assistance. “It’s a great community. I love what HALO does. They are definitely on the Nice List.”
One of the largest fundraisers HALO puts on, the crowd wasn’t as strong as it had been in years past. HALO founder Jacque Petrone attributed the smaller than expected pack to the rain clouds that had passed through town earlier in the day and continued to threaten throughout the afternoon.
Though turnout was lower than she had hoped, Petrone said she continues to enjoy this particular fundraiser because so many families who have adopted dogs through the shelter bring them out.
“There are a lot of familiar snouts,” she said.
One such snout was that of Ziggy, a 3-year-old Bichon-Poodle mix, who attended with his human, Stacy Caffrey. Ziggy dressed as Santa Paws in honor of the upcoming Christmas holiday.
Caffrey said she adopted Ziggy after HALO rescued him from a shelter in Fort Pierce – the day he was to be put down.
“He’s the best thing we’ve ever, ever, ever had,” Caffrey said, noting that Ziggy is so good he allows her to dress him up. “He’s just the love of our lives.”
After having adopted Ziggy, Caffrey has become a big supporter of HALO, she said – so much so, “I’m not allowed to go in there anymore!”
She explained she went in two months ago to have Ziggy’s claws trimmed and she came home with a cat.
Before the dog walk began, pet parents spent time getting their pooches’ photos taken with Santa, making paw art on canvas squares, and exercising their dogs in the Lure Chase Brevard arena.
Dogs were able to chase lures on a mechanized track, running back and forth and around the fenced area, put together by Swift Paws creator Meghan Wolfgram. She had put on a similar benefit for HALO in the Spring and, when she heard about the Walk For Rescues, she said she had to be a part of it, too.
During the Spring event, someone from the public purchased the Swift Paws equipment and donated it to HALO to exercise its dogs, Wolfgram said.
“It’s a lot of fun,” she said.
For information about donating or about the shelter, visit www.HALORescueFL.org or call (772) 589-7297 or visit HALO at 710 Jackson St., Sebastian.
