Monday, September 30, 2013

National Walk Your Dog Week, October 1st to 7th!

Welcome to the "KCHA and the Community" blog! Have you been looking for a place to share stories and photos of you and your pet(s)? Or a place to find out about fun events to do with your pet in Kanawha County? Well, here you have it!

Our first blog entry features dogs in and around Kanawha County out for a stroll with their humans. National Walk Your Dog Week was started by Colleen Paige in 2010 as a way to raise awareness about canine behavioral issues and canine obesity. "With more and more people becoming sedentary and gaining weight due to a lack of exercise, dogs don't get the necessary outlet they need to stay physically and mentally healthy."

The same can be said for dogs at shelters. Paige believes that the majority of dogs at shelters are there because of lack of exercise which "exacerbates destructive, aggressive, and anxious tendencies."

From the 1st to the 7th of this month, we ask that you visit KCHA and volunteer to take one of our dogs for a walk. October is a beautiful month to be out and about. Why not share the beauty of the changing leaves with a shelter animal? Take a photo of you with the dog and send it to our facebook page or KCHAcommunityevents@gmail.com so that we can post it here!

And now, without further adieu, check these fun photo submissions from the community!


Zara and Zeus at Little Creek Park in South Charleston.

Zara at PetSmart for her birthday!


Quick dip in the creek at Kanawha State Forest.

Dirty Dog Run 15K at Kanawha State Forest.

Elsie at the Dirty Dog Run, Kanawha State Forest.

Beverly (human) and Rosie at Oakes Field in South Charleston.

Creekside stroll, Little Creek Park.

John (human) with Franklin and Zara playing fetch at the Hartman-Wallace Trail in South Hills.

Rosie at Bark in the Park, Appalachian Power Park.
Amy Lynn and her Boston Terrier, Yoda, on a stroll in Dupont City.