Rain or shine, canine enthusiasts have planned a stroll at the Crossings of Colonie the first day of autumn, Sunday, Sept. 23.
The Golden Retriever Rescue Operated with Love Statewide (GRROWLS) and Dogs in Need Everywhere (DINE) have planned the dog walk to support abandoned, mistreated and lost dogs of the Capital District.
GRROWLS, a statewide organization that operates out of Rochester, Syracuse, Buffalo and Albany, has chosen the Albany-Shaker Road park as the site of its first fundraiser walk. The hope is to kick off an annual walk to benefit a variety of animal welfare organizations, say event planners.
Once we get our feet wet, we are hoping we can do it all over the state, said Terryann `T.A.` Lasinski, Delmar resident and the fundraiser coordinator for the Albany chapter of GRROWLS. `We are trying to raise money to pay all the vet bills.`
The group has teamed up with DINE for the fall walk as part of a continuing effort to get all rescue groups on the same page. Shelters are crowded and animal advocates are overworked and lacking the funding to tackle many of the problems facing animal populations.
GRROWLS set out years ago to find golden retrievers good homes, she said. But the waiting lists are long and there are a number of dogs, either sick or too old that some homes won’t take in. Many volunteers, like Lasinski, are exhausting what little resources they have to keep up the fight, and in some cases, they are dipping into their own pockets.
That’s where DINE comes in.
Kathleen Collar of Glenville didn’t know how she wanted to help animals in need. More so, she didn’t know how far her countless contributions to local shelters and animal groups went to care for animals. She decided to help those who help animals and founded DINE.
`It’s a support system for shelters. This is a way I can assist the dogs directly,` she said.
Last year DINE answered GRROWLS call for chew toys for the dogs currently waiting a new home. They have since delivered dog beds to Saratoga County Shelter and Montgomery County SPCA.
All of it has been made possible through can drives and small donations, said Collar.
GRROWLS included DINE in its first fundraiser to help the organization.
The Go 4 the GOLDends Dog Walk for Rescue will begin a 11:15 a.m., Sunday, Sept. 23. Lunch and prizes will be available. All breeds of dogs are welcome.
To register visit [email protected] or call (877) 477-6957 and leave a message. Registrants should leaver their names, dog’s name, phone number and shirt size.
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