Droves of dog lovers explore Bark in the Park's new territory

photo by Deborah Parkhill Mullis/Metrolina Dog Reporter

A freestyle frisbee demonstration delighted the crowd of dog lovers at 2009 Pedigree Bark in the Park event in Charlotte. Above, 7-year-old red and white border collie, Razor, jumps over her trainer's legs to catch a frisbee.

photo by Deborah Parkhill Mullis/Metrolina Dog Reporter

This amazing "feat" was part of a freestyle frisbee demonstration put on by Laura Moretz and Riot, her 5-year-old border collie, at Metrolina Expo during the 2009 Pedigree Bark in the Park event.

By Deborah Parkhill Mullis

dogreporter@hotmail.com

A record crowd of 14,500 dog lovers and some 7,000 dogs attended Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation’s 2009 Pedigree ® Bark in the Park on Saturday, April 25, an increase of 1,500 from last year and more than double the number of people from two years ago.

Bark in the Park began in the early eighties but it wasn’t until 2005 that it really caught on in the community and became a regular annual event to promote the county’s off-leash dog parks. As Bark in the Park increased in popularity, parking spaces decreased in availability forcing a move this year from William R. Davey Park to Metrolina Expo where parking is plentiful.

Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation has five off-leash dog parks. Two of those parks are very convenient for Matthews and Union County residents. The first is Ray's Fetching Meadow, a one acre dog park within McAlpine Creek Park, slightly west of Matthews at 711 Monroe Road in Charlotte. The second is a five acre dog park inside William R. Davey Park. It is the largest dog park in Mecklenburg County and located slightly south of Matthews at 4635 Matthews-Pineville Road. While this dog park does not have a separate name, it does have separate sections for large and small dogs - a good idea according to dog experts.

The county’s newest dog park, Frazier Park, opened in uptown Charlotte in 2008. The other two dog parks are Swaney Pointe K-9 Park which is inside Ramsey Creek Park and Barkingham Park which is inside Reedy Creek Park. These three dog parks also have sections for small and large dogs. All the dog parks are open seven days a week from 7:30 am to sunset. Visit http://www.parkandrec.com/ for more information on Mecklenburg County Parks.

Dogs dig in at Camp Bark

Camp Counselor, Beth Kelly, shares her affection with canine campers (from left) Darcy, Frankie, Zoe and Maggie during camp playgroup time.

Canine Campers (from left) Maggie, Frankie and Darcy explore the smells in the secure, naturalized area at Camp Bark in Waxhaw.

by Deborah Parkhill Mullis

On the outskirts of Waxhaw, off Highway 75, a gravel drive winds its way past a field, a pond and acres of woods to the place where Cindy Starkey built her dream: a 5,000 square foot pet lodge and doggie day camp with enough rustic charm to rival many retreats designed for mankind.

Starkey opened Camp Bark this year on Memorial Day weekend with the motto, "It‘s not a kennel; it’s a camp” and the associated tenet - that her clients are not canines but rather "campers" - gives pet owners an indication of her philosophy about boarding dogs.

“This isn’t the Ritz-Carlton. I think that dogs like to sniff and explore the natural environment. Dogs like to dig holes,” said Starkey, warning that dogs sometimes get dirty at Camp Bark.

Raised on a farm in West Virginia, Starkey had a natural affinity for dogs even as a child. Her love for dogs was so strong that she was shocked to discover not all children felt the same way and that some of her friends did not want to spend all day playing with pooches.

That revelation didn’t change Starkey, now 38, who still spends her days playing with dogs. Assembled daily for playdates are Frankie, her 10 year-old terrier mix and Sabrina, her 5-year-old Rottweiler, not to mention all her canine campers and any dogs she may be fostering. An animal advocate, Starkey rescues dozens of dogs from shelters each year.

Starkey ventured into the dog-boarding business eight years ago after many years spent driving back and forth to her parents’ home for her dog's sake whenever work took her out of town. The four hour drive was exhausting, but knowing the level of inactivity her dog was likely to endure at an animal hospital or traditional kennel was more stressful. “Whose dog wants to take a vacation at a hospital? Even if it’s a safe place - it’s not a fun place,” she said.

Believing there had to be a better way, Starkey started pet-sitting on the side for friends and co-workers who shared her anxiety. It gave people peace of mind to know an animal lover was welcoming their pets into her home and treating them as one of her own while they were away. Soon Starkey was so busy caring for canines that she gave up her corporate job and began dreaming of the day she would open a romping retreat for man’s best friend.

That day has arrived. Starkey and her staff now provide a high-spirited schedule beginning at 6:30 am and ending around 9:30 pm for healthy, well-socialized dogs. “I want it to be a full fun day so that when the dogs retire at night they’re dog tired,” she said.

Camp playgroups are the highlight of each day. Dogs get to go outside and play chase with canine friends or fetch with staff members. They can dig in dirt, romp on grass or visit trees all inside a naturalized area safely surrounded by solid cedar fencing. Playgroups, held mid-morning and late afternoon for up to three hours at a time, are supervised by staff members who are experienced dog handlers. The camp routine includes an indoor siesta time during the hottest part of the day. Dogs that desire more breaks from all the fun and sun can find respite on the cool concrete floor under the covered back porch where bowls of fresh water are set about. There is even a baby pool for dogs inclined to take a dip or in need of a camper bath. (Baths are by request and cost extra.) There is an indoor play area in case of bad weather. Camp playgroups are included in the regular rate of $35 a day for overnight camp and $25 a day for day camp.

Overnight campers can sleep in the cageless boarding area or be tucked into their own "cabin". Buddies are allowed to bunk together. Campers' chow times are at 8 a.m. and 6 p.m., all dogs are fed their own food to avoid upset stomachs. Dogs with medications, special diets and exercise requests can be accommodated, too.

Starkey's years of experience caring for dogs with special needs led her to design a roomy den next to the lobby for her senior and special-needs “campers”. These dogs may lounge on the couch or relax on the rug while listening to music or watching television. An indoor pup tent and a separate outdoor area allows every Camp Bark canine to experience the camp atmosphere.

However, Starkey does not cater to dogs that are simply spoiled. “If your dog is a late sleeper, Camp Bark is not the right place for him,” she cautioned.

Opening Camp Bark hasn't stopped Starkey's dreaming. She plans to develop an agility course, build an exercise pool and hold obedience classes, all on Camp Bark's fourteen acres. But the camp director/owner has dreams beyond Camp Bark. As the foster home coordinator for Animal Adoption League, her most precious vision is the day when there are no animals to rescue from shelters or streets and people finally understand the importance of spaying and neutering their pets.

Learn more at www.campbark.net or call 704-858-BARK.

Deborah is a freelance writer living in Indian Trail, NC with her husband, two children, two dogs and one cat. This article was also published in Volume 2, Number 27 *July 6-12, 2007 of Union County Weekly and Volume 6, Number 27 * July 6-12, 2007 of Charlotte Weekly. Send your dog-related news to dogreporter@hotmail.com or add your comments about the above story by clicking on the link below.

SouthPark Mall Animal Adoption Fair

Rob Anderson handles Cole, a one-year-old Labrador/hound mix, that he and his wife are fostering. The couple has been volunteering with CMPD Animal Control Bureau for three years and foster dogs with issues such as spinning in their cages because they have been behind bars for too long.

Classy Mall goes to Cats and Dogs

by Deborah Parkhill Mullis

Shoppers could not resist the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department Animal Control Bureau adoption fair on Saturday, March 3 at South Park Mall. The fair featured animals from the agency’s foster program and animal shelter.

Sponsored by South Park, the event is one of the most successful for CMPD Animal Control Bureau, said Linda Hagemann, the volunteer Coordinator for the department.

Hagemann couldn't convince area malls to allow animals inside until she asked upscale SouthPark. The mall's general manager, Randall Thomas, generously agreed to turn over the center court to the shelter's cats and dogs the first Saturday of every month. People have been drawn to the mall in support of the cause.

Eighteen dogs, four cats and thirty-eight volunteers were on hand for the March adoption fair. Only a few cats were there because cats don’t do as well as dogs with all the commotion. Cats have to be handpicked for this kind of event, explained Sylvia Becker, who became involved with the animal shelter as soon as she moved here from Los Angeles one year ago.

Linda Middleton was watching over the cats and introduced Pappy, a stray kitten that was adopted right away. Pappy was named after the popular dog breed because of her large Papillion looking ears, she said. Middleton, a volunteer for two years, loves working adoption fairs and enjoys educating people about responsible pet ownership. "I like going into distressed neighborhoods and doing pet education. I love meeting people - either I find out something or they find out something we didn’t know before."

Becker started a fund drive in conjunction with the SouthPark adoption fairs. She put donation boxes on all sides of the venue for The Second Chance Medical Fund. The fund pays for the treatment of sick and injured animals that otherwise would not be candidates for adoption. As much as $500 in public donations has been collected at each event in addition to the sizable amount she donates from her Allen Tate real estate business each month.

Seventeen animals were adopted during the March event. "We don’t always adopt 100 percent of the animals we bring but we come close," said Becker.

Rescue a shelter pet by visiting CMPD Animal Control at SouthPark Mall the first Saturday of every month. For more information on CMPD Animal Control Bureau, see Local Animal Shelter Links in the left hand margin of this blog. (An edited of this story ran in Charlotte Weekly, Volume 6, Number 14 * April 6 -12, 2007)