Greg Thompson
Posted: 10/24/2016 3:00 AM
Wagging tails and a barking chorus greeted pet owners and animal lovers Saturday at Playful Paws in Radcliff.
Dogs of various breeds and sizes came donned for the spooky season dressed in an array of costumes for the Pup-Tacular Harvest Celebration. Visitors saw a patrol dog, then there was Leo, a 5-month-old German Shepherd, who came as Tony Bark’s alter ego Iron Dog, a large tan Mastiff dressed in business attire and others at the doggie day care and boarding business owned by Debbie Chabot.
The business, at 1019 N. Wilson Road, still is a pup itself, having opened in April in a building owned by Chabot’s parents and originally owned by her grandparents since the 1950s.
“What we want to do today is to have a celebration for the kids and their pets,” Chabot said.
Activities included an animal costume contest, a cake walk, coloring and a ring toss game.
A hard plastic children’s pool sat near the entrance of the building with yellow tennis balls inside. Chabot filled the pool with water, giving the dogs a chance to bob for tennis balls. She thought it would be more fun for the dogs rather than apples, she said.
Playful Paws also invited the Animal Refuge Center of Vine Grove to participate in the event. The center brought several kittens in need of homes.
The mission of the day was to raise money to install synthetic grass in the area behind the Playful Paws building for dogs. Hot dogs, chips and a drink was served for a donation.
Chabot shared proceeds from the event with the Animal Refuge Center.
“We have a donation box inside for them,” she said.
Currently, the center has about a dozen dogs and 150 cats needing to find new homes. Playful Paws and the center have donation boxes for dry cat food and dog food, wet cat food, paper towels, trash bags and laundry detergent.
“We’re collecting and taking monetary donations for them,” Chabot said.
Pam Harrison, Secretary of the Board of Directors of the refuge center, said she is impressed with Playful Paws and their willingness to assist the center.
Beside the dog and cat food, they are in need of bleach-free cleaning supplies and dog and cat toys.
The center has an open-range, ranch-style house, kennel facilities, and a sick bay, where animals receive medical care.
Crawford Farms, 3999 Hodgenville Road, near the Hardin- and LaRue-County border, also has agreed to partner with Playful Paws and the center, as well. For every donation made to the center, the pumpkin patch will offer a voucher for half-price admission until Oct. 30.
Playful Paws is more than a day care and boarding business, according to Chabot. Pet care and education also is important.
Heather Hardin, owner of Bluegrass Dawgs, serves as a trainer.
The first training workshop was held the weekend of Oct. 15, with eight owners and their pets participating. She she will schedule another session in the near future.
“I cover two obedience issues, two behavior issues and then a trick,” Hardin said. “You get a whole bunch of different information in about an hour and a half.”
Chabot said she plans on having similar events in the future.
For more information about the Animal Refuge Center, go to animalrefugecenter.org.
Greg Thompson can be reached at 270-505-1762 or gthompson@thenewsenterprise.com.
