By Jacki Moss

Special to the Tribune

You've heard the saying that everyone and her dog was at some event? Well, that homily was a fact at Saturday's Bark in the Park. Lisa Laidlaw, walking enjoying the event with Casper said, "I'm here to support the shelter and their adoptions. I don't think that any dog should ever die in a shelter."

Susan Cook Ragsdale, event chairperson and volunteer coordinator at the Lewisburg Animal Shelter, said, "I could not have been happier with the way the day went. The weather turned out beautiful, the dogs behaved wonderfully, the city and county supported our efforts wholeheartedly, the sponsors and businesses that donated to the silent auction were very generous. I am so very proud of all of my volunteers who worked day and night to make this happen. From the silent auction to the awards to the Dancing with the Dogs contest, it was a great day for the community, including the animals of Marshall County."

This second Bark in the Park was held to raise money for the formation of a humane association for Marshall County called Friends of Animals (FOA) in Marshall County. It was a continuation of last year's event held by PAWS. This year, host Lewisburg Animal Shelter Volunteers committee and many community members started planning and getting things in place last fall.

Citizens are rallying behind the new group and their plan. "I am so excited about the positive changes at the shelter in the last year. I am now looking forward to a new shelter that is low-kill or no-kill," said MaryRene Baxter.

One key measure of the event's success was the adoption of shelter dogs. Ragsdale says, "Before the day even started, we had a long distance adoption. A couple drove overnight from Ohio to adopt Red, while shelter volunteer Denise Schaile Cannon was at the shelter preparing the dogs to come to the event. Then at Bark, Chloe was adopted by a loving family, followed closely by Pearl. Several dogs who were not adopted at the event have interested parties coming back this week to see about adopting." In addition to the dogs at Bark, the shelter has many other dogs that need homes immediately. Ragsdale invites people to contact the shelter to adopt one.

The event also honored two individuals who have made a significant contribution to the welfare of Marshall County's shelter animals, Sarah Washburn Settles and Teri Cox. Settles was unable to attend the event, but Cox was given a plaque by Marshall County Mayor Joe Boyd Liggett.

Liggett also presented Kim Breedlove's dog, Bo (formerly Joe in the shelter), who she adopted from the Lewisburg Animal Shelter, with a Happy Tale of the Year plaque from PAWS.

The Friends of Animals in Marshall County came about due to the need for an all-encompassing group to oversee and govern the welfare and adoptions of all the stray and abandoned animals in the county. Ragsdale explains, "We have some great folks who on their own have organized and accomplished many things up to this point. But together we can accomplish so much more. The combined name was chosen as Friends of Animals in Marshall County, so it is just that: all-encompassing. It involves all the individuals who have gotten us this far. The board will consist of individuals who are already involved in the animal welfare of this community, as well as business people and individuals who are experienced in running an organization of this magnitude. We are not affiliated with any state or national humane society, so we choose to call ourselves a humane association. The paperwork has already begun and invitation letters to the board of directors are being sent out this week. Our EIN is in hand. The 501(c)(3) paperwork and charter are under construction, to be finalized and passed by the board once it is seated. It is all coming along very quickly."

Once all the paperwork is in place and the board meets, committees will be set up to start the process of obtaining land and funding to ultimately start construction of a new building to replace the existing shelter facility used now to house the stray dogs of the county. The plan is that once the doors of the new facility open, the city and county will hand over the reins to the FOA to operate and maintain the new facility, Ragsdale notes. Cats will also be taken in and made available for adoption. There are also plans for a low-cost spay and neuter program, as well as a community dog park to be located near the facility.

The city will still oversee court cases and rabies bite control cases, but all stray animal care and adoptions will be overseen by the FOA's governing board of directors.

For information about becoming a volunteer for the Lewisburg Animal Shelter, call the shelter at 359-5948.