Downeast Dog News October 2010 : Page 2
Hot Dog News our team members while training or communicating with law enforcement while on a search. Lithium batteries are the best way to ensure that our radios will be able to transmit potentially life-saving information when dealing with emergency situations.” After a successful yard sale fundraiser, the Downeast Dog Scouts were able to contribute funds for nine lithium batteries for the Hancock County MESARD teams. Camden-Rockport Animal Rescue League Celebrates Local Heroes and Shelter Pets in Calendar The Camden-Rockport Animal Northern New England Sled Dog Trade Fair & Seminars The 15th Annual Northern New England Sled & Seminars will be held at Dog Trade Fair the Hopkinton Fair Grounds (Green Gate entrance) at 392 Kearsarge Avenue, Contoocook, New Hampshire on October 2nd and 3rd. This is a family-oriented gathering for both seasoned mushers and novices interested in dog-powered sports! New Hampshire native Mitch Ingerson will demonstrate his Cool Runner treadmill, considered the longest portable treadmill in North America! Housed inside a 53 foot x 8 foot refrigerated trailer where the temperature can be cooled for the dogs’ comfort, if desired, to minus 20ºF the fifty foot x 50 inch exercise machine can accommodate a 24-dog team at a pace of up to 5 to 7 mph, bored during the off-season to enjoy a good, healthy run anytime! Keynote speakers Hugh Neff and Blake Freking, Iditarod and Yukon Quest mushers, will talk about their dog care, training and race experiences. There will be a Meet the Sled Dog Breeds presentation and beginner courses on bikjoring and scootering with dog(s). Weather permitting; a fun rig race will take place on Sunday morning. Many vendors selling mushing supplies, sleds, gifts and artwork will be present. Food will be available on-site. The event will take place, rain or shine, Saturday from 9-5 and Sunday from 8-3. Daily admission is $7.00 for adults (2-day pass is $12.00) and $2.00 for kids 7-12. On-grounds camping (Friday and Saturday night) is $25/night without hook-ups or $40/night with hook-ups. Dogs are welcome but must be leashed at all times and owners are expected to pick up after them. For more details, visit the sponsors’ web pages: MaineMade Dog Sleds -http://www.mainemadedogsleds.com and Mountain Ridge Equipment -http://www.mtnridge.com. 2 allowing dogs who get Downeast Dog Scouts Support Hancock County Maine Search and Rescue Dogs The Downeast Dog Scouts’ latest community service effort benefits the Hancock County members of the Maine Search and Rescue Dog organization. Maine Search and Rescue Dogs (MESARD) is a non-profit, all volunteer organization formed in 1983 with the help of the Maine Warden Service. A MESARD team consists of a highly trained handler and search dog that have passed a demanding certification process. Teams receive extensive training and must meet rigid evaluation standards to become MESARDcertified. HancockCounty presently has nine dog and handler teams, and the Downeast Dog Scouts appreciate their dedication to serving the local and statewide communities of Maine in times of need. Both MESARD handlers and dogs must prove their proficiency as well as pass certification tests on a variety of realistic search problems. Handler training includes first aid, CPR, land navigation, radio communications, wilderness survival, crime scene preservation, and the incident command system, ground search techniques and search organization. MESARD dogs are certified in obedience and one or more of the following: wilderness air scent, tracking/trailing, water search, human remains detection search and article search. Additional information about MESARD can be found at: www.MESARD.org. Downeast Dog Scouts Troop 159 wanted to contribute to this vital program in some way and found that the teams were in need of updated batteries for their communications radios. easily maintained. “It According to MESARD member Kelly Pontbriand, the two-way communication radios are the teams’ lifeline while in the woods. is our key to communicating with Rescue League (CRARL) is producing a 2011 calendar featuring area police, firefighters and town officials with shelter pets currently available for adoption. A special event will be held on Wednesday, October 6 from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. at the Camden Public Safety Building. The calendar is a new and creative community fundraising initiative with 100% of the proceeds going to support the ongoing care of the animals at CRARL waiting for placement in loving homes. Local community members and businesses have sponsored calendar pages to underwrite the expenses of printing and production. Calendars will go on sale starting October 1 at the shelter for $15 apiece. departments, and town offices where CRARL has contracts. “This is a wonderful project and everyone involved is very excited,” says Sarah Shepherd, Executive Director at CRARL. “We are looking forward to seeing everyone at the party, especially our alumni and their families.” Green Acres Mascots Announce for Governor to Aid Furry Friends Food Bank The Green Acres Kennel Shop mascots, Rex Barker, Sparky Moonbeam, and Fiona Katt have all officially announced that they are running for Governor. Rex has the endorsement of the RePuplican party, Sparky will be the standard bearer for the DemoCats, and Fiona has a large following of independents, especially among felines. No matter how many candidates are in Maine’s upcoming gubernatorial election, the three candidates are convinced that one of them will win this election. When asked why they have decided to run for Governor, Rex indicated, “Our employer, Don Hanson ofGreen Acres Kennel Shop, encouraged all of us to run. He recognizes that we can bring a unique perspective to the election dialogue.” Sparky added “With all of the polarizing negativity from all of the mainstream candidates we think any of the three of us represent a ray of sunshine and together we’re a supernova of hope!” Not one to be left out Fiona added “A major goal of our campaign and this election is to raise money for our favorite cause, the Eastern Area Agency on Aging Furry Friends Food Bank. We want to help those seniors having a hard time and make sure their dogs and cats get the nutrition they need.” Hanson noted that supportive National Fire Prevention Week (October 3-9) The event, which coincides with and National Dog Adoption Month (October), will have models on hand to sign calendars and dogs currently available for adoption at the shelter. “We were all very eager to lend a hand to CRARL in any way we could,” says Camden Fire Chief The new lithium batteries will not develop a “memory” and have a much longer operating time and can be Chris Farley. “The event will be fun for the whole family and we knowthe community will turn out in support of the shelter.” Renowned photographer Patrisha McLean, whose photos of local townspeople made the book “Maine Street: Faces and Stories from a Small Town” a great success in 2009, took the black and white portraits of members of the police and fire members of the community are being encouraged to vote early and often. Votes only cost $1 and people can vote as many times as they want for any of the three candidates. After the first thousand dollars has been raised, Green Acres will match every dollar raised between $1,000 and $3,000. Those unable to come to Green Acres can votevia a paper ballot downloaded from the campaigns official web site at www.for-gov.com. The web site also contains candidate profiles and links to the candidates television and radio commercials. Signs and posters can also be downloaded so that the community can show their support. T-shirts and yard signs can also be purchased at the Green Acres Café Press store: http://www.cafepress. com/GAKS.Those wanting to follow the campaign are encouraged to checkout its officialFacebook page at: www.facebook.com/GAKS.FFFFB. downeastdognews.com Email news to info@ Downeast Dog News
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