Although I’m not what you’d call a Party Animal, there are a few I try to make, like Cocktails at Costa. It’s a Donor (human-type) Appreciation party at Costa de Este beach resort, to tell everyone who supports our Vero Beach Dog Park how much us pooches, and our humans, appreciate their help. Did you know we get to have the party at such a snazzy place cuz the owners, Gloria and Emilio Estefan (I think she sings), totally LOVE dogs? If you ever go there, here’s an Important Tip: that big fountain out in front is OFF LIMITS for dogs. Don’t ask me how I know, OK?
The party was Seriously Cool Dog Biscuits: The humans got lotsa fancy food, cut up real small for some reason, and goodie bags to take to their pooches. Also, a bunch of businesses donated some Really Nice Stuff to what they call a Silent Auction, cuz nobody yells. They just write down numbers, and whoever writes down the biggest number wins.
I know most of you poocheroos know all about our Dog Park over by the lagoon, cuz I’ve seen a bunch of you over there. How many dogs are lucky enough to have five whole acres of grass to run around in, hang out with buddies, meet new dog pals, maybe even do a little flirting. And it’s FREE.
Plus, it’s all fenced in, with a Big Dogs section and an Old and Little Dogs section, so we’re all safe, and us bigger pooches don’t accidently run over the little pooches and smush them. There’s shady places, and benches for our humans. And playground stuff, too, so we can get in a little agility practice. PLUS, lotsa bowls of water; fire hydrants for our convenience, all painted special; and extra Poop Bags, just in case.
Anyway, I had a nice yap with the Cocktails at Costa dog co-chairs, to get all the Scoop (get it? Scoop?). Gnarly Reid’s a laidback poodle with awesome dreadlocks. His Dad Phil is president of the Dog Park Board. Chase is a sophisticated German German Shepherd (we hafta to say it two times cuz he was born in Germany). His Mom Connie’s board treasurer.
“Isn’t this so exciting?” said Gnarly. “This party is the launch of our big Dog Park Beautification Capital Improvement Campaign. Did I say that right, Chase?”
“Sure did!” said Chase.
“The park’s gonna be even cooler than now,” Gnarly continued. “We even have an actual landscape architect, Robin Pelensky (she’s a human), and another human architect volunteer, Bob Joy. They have big drawings of how it’ll be. Didja see ‘em?”
“The dog park humans and the city staff humans get together and Plan, to be sure all the Rules Are Followed,” said Chase, solemnly. “That is of Great Importance.”
Me and Gnarly nodded in agreement.
“PLUS,” said Gnarly, all excited, “I heard there’s gonna be a, like, a rain garden sorta place. I think the humans call it a Stormwater Garden. Anyway, doesn’t it sound wa-ay cool?”
Several of the other pooches chimed in.
“It’s Our Dad who’s helping design it! I’m Jack Joy, I’m a Labradoodle, and this is my sis Lexi, she’s a rescue. We’re Dad’s Official Consultants cuz we have Paws on the Ground!”
“Wow! Cool Kibbles!” I exclaimed.
Like Lexi Joy, Murphy Chandler is a Rescue Pooch. His mom’s Penny, who’s on The Board. “I just LOOOVE the Dog Park! Whenever we go, I can’t wait to jump out of the car and RUN.”
“I know whatcha mean,” said Johnny Derrizk, a Schnorkie, whose human is Lori. “I usually hang out in the Little Dog section, but sometimes I just wanna pop over the fence and give those big ol’ pooches a run for their money, ya know?”
“I know what you’re sayin’!” said Lily Kramer, a Jack Russell. Her Dad’s Jay, and she says they go to the park a lot, and she’d go every day if she could.
Miss Ellie Kerwin, a Yellow Lab whose Dad Richard is on the Board, chimed in. “I think that’d be fun. You little pooches can be really speedy. Sometimes your legs are going so fast, they just look like a fuzzy blur. I remember one time, I was running and I turned my head to look at a bird flying by. Well, I ran smack into a Standard Poodle (name was Curly Sue, as I recall), flipped caboose-over-teakettle and went rolling. It was SO embarrassing. That was one sturdy Poodle.”
While schmoozing at the party, I was surprised to learn that, among the many Dog Park supporters there is a strong Cat Contingent. I KNOW! Who’da thought?
Humans Dottie Childers, Bobbie Burdick and Kim Whitehurst (who’s on the Event Committee) were discussing The Feline Factor. Dottie has three cats, all strongly in favor of the Dog Park. They prefer to remain anonymous because they have some older feline friends who aren’t as progressive as they are.
On the other hand, T.J. and Elsa Winger (their humans are Bobbie and Dick) and Bella, Hudson and Pearl Whitehurst are totally up front about it.
“We think the dog park is a wonderful thing,” Elsa said.
All the pooches reminded me to remind you to remind your humans that the Dog Park’s a 501(c)3 and “relies 100% on contributions from the community.” (That means money from humans.)
Till next time,
The Bonz