By Stephen Smoot
Last Saturday, the Hardy County Humane Society held their Woofstock lawn party at the park. There gathered many for whom one thing is sure, that the friendship they have for their pets, for animals, and for those who love them is so pure.
For them, the thing to do for and with their pets is to “spend my natural life with you.” The love they have for their own animals projects outward to all dogs and cats, inspiring them to put in the countless hours of work to assemble a full party at the park,
After weeks of seemingly endless rain, the sun shone brilliantly and provided one of the first summer feeling days of the year – perfect weather to bring animal lovers together.
Steve Pendleton, President of the Hardy County Humane Society, shared that “it’s up to us to do a lot of education” about the needs of the area dog and cat population, both with and without homes.
Events such as Woofstock and their fall event, Barktober, attract families to enjoy the fun aspects of the day while also teaching about the needs of these animals and how the Hardy County Humane Society meets them. “You have to know how to reach people,” Pendleton noted.
One of the goals, Pendleton explained, lies in “changing attitudes toward animals” such as dogs and cats. Many see them as domestic animals more than as pets or potential pets. Since dogs and cats have a much longer period of domestication, they rely more heavily on the special relationship between themselves and human beings than other domesticated animals.
On the other hand, many country kids develop strong bonds with pets, full of fun and growing up together that way.
While Pendleton said “we want to do good things for kids,” the point and purpose of Woofstock lies in something more vital. “We’d like to have a trap and release program,” he shared.
Trap and release brings feral cats in for surgical spaying and neutering, then returns them to the wild. Such programs avoid culling feral cat populations while still cutting the numbers of births. The Hardy County Humane Society’s ideal is that every cat’s entitled to expect these evidences of respect, whether at home or on their own.
Pendleton stated that the Society has determined that they need a structure with at least 1,200 square feet of usable space. After seeking to obtain a standing structure and not finding one suitable, they have altered their plans and now need an acre and a half of land to place a metal building on a concrete pad.
He added that the Society has reversed the “if you build it, they will come” mentality. They seek first to establish a base of reliable volunteers who can tend to feeding, changing litter, and giving them attention as they prepare for, and recover from, surgery.
Once they identify volunteers via a soon-to-come local survey, they can set to work on getting the building and equipment funded. When the Society achieves those goals, the unchecked expansion of the feral cat population will be a memory and a new day for them will begin.
Another important part of the day lay in the love, joy, and support that pets can provide. Tom Widder, a Society Board member who sported a “ask me about my dog” ball cap, shared how his faithful friend Rufus stood by him through an illness.
Dave Imboden shared that one important purpose of the event lay in “celebrating our pets and those who love them.”
A lyrical poet once shared his observation about the unconditional love of a dog, writing that “old dogs care about you even when you make mistakes,” but also when their human is sick, sad, lonely, or just in need of a friendly face. Many owners proudly brought their dogs of all shapes, sizes, and ages to walk around and meet fellow pets and owners.
Many hydration stations on the hot day served people and pooches alike.
Woofstock enjoyed the support of a number of local businesses. Volunteers from Wal Mart handed out free bottles of water, kept ice cold. Central Tie and Lumber donated a valuable Yeti cooler for the silent auction. Widder stated that local quilter Beverly Kopp crafted a quilt just for the silent auction, saying “it’s a beautiful quilt.” Pilgrims also sponsored part of the fun of the day.
Vendors came from around the area to sell their wares and share their own pet stories. One sold his “Doggone Good Honey,” made naturally just outside of Moorefield. The label sports an image of the owner’s dog and reflects the absolute love held for both the product and the pooch.
As all there wished to remind the community, however, none of what they accomplish at this or other events can reach fruition without the help of volunteers.
