[ PET OHANA ]

PHOTO BY WILBER BERGADO / HAWAIIAN HUMANE SOCIETY Posing still partially dressed in his K-9 Day winning gecko costume is Einstein, a bulldog who belongs to John DuBois.

K-9 Game Day will
be biggest thus far

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K-9 Game Day Where: Thomas Square Time: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 23 with pet costume contest at 11 a.m. and hot dog bobbing contest at 11:30 a.m. Admission: Free; parking available at the Neal Blaisdell Center for $4 Information: For a schedule of games, visit www.hawaiianhumane.org.

Each year on national Make a Difference Day, volunteers lend their hands in service to their community. This year, that special day falls on Oct. 23, the same date that more than 55 volunteers will dedicate time to their "pet" charity -- the Hawaiian Humane Society -- which celebrates its love for dogs at K-9 Game Day at Thomas Square Park.

Every day, the humane society relies on an army of volunteers to complete the tasks necessary to run the animal shelter and its programs. "These folks definitely 'make a difference' in a big way, every day," said Gayle Puou, coordinator of volunteers for the society. "Our valued community partners donate their time to greet shelter visitors, assist with adoptions, clean kennels and perform clerical duties. They assist the society in so many ways. On Make a Difference Day, they will also help create a fun event for dog lovers."

Tracy Watkins, a K-9 Game Day committee member, is one of the 1,027 volunteers who has contributed 96,269 hours to the organization in fiscal year 2004. She has been volunteering at the humane society for more than 10 years and been a part of K-9 Game Day since its inception.

"The first K-9 Game Day in 2002 was pretty low-key," Watkins said. "We had never tried an event quite like this before. It was really an informal morning of fun, not a fund-raiser like some of the other humane society events. The turnout was good for the first year. Then, in 2003 we added more activities and publicity so even more people attended. This year's K-9 Game Day will be the biggest and best ever."

Thanks to the hard work and dedication of the society's staff and volunteers, K-9 Game Day will include fun for four-legged friends and family. From 9 a.m. until 2 p.m., people and their leashed pets will be able to socialize, enjoy the games and be pampered, as well as learn more about the humane society and its programs.

Who let the dogs out?

A schedule of zany games will keep the crowd delighted. To be triumphant at Musical Hula Hoops, dogs and their owners must walk around the hoops placed on the ground while remaining calm and focused. Just like musical chairs, there will be one less hoop than there are dogs. When the music stops, each dog claims an empty hoop and sits inside it. One pooch and his person are eliminated after each round until the last dog sits victoriously in the final hoop. Winners will be showered with prizes and donated doggie-themed gifts.

Hungry canines will also want to take a bite out of Hot Diggity Dog. This is the canine equivalent to bobbing for apples. The dog that gobbles up floating hot dog bits the fastest will walk away with a full belly and another prize. There will also be a fashion relay race, a timed "retrieve it" game and an agility course for pooches interested in testing their athleticism.

John Matthews, morning deejay at Oldies 107.9 FM, will host the pet costume contest. With Halloween just a week later, it is a good time for dogs to strut their stuff in costume. "The costume contest is always the highlight of the day," Watkins said. "The creativity is amazing, and the dogs seem to love it, too."

There will also be food booths set up at Thomas Square with refreshments for dogs and people. Canine pals can receive a relaxing massage, quickie professional grooming or nail painting. Brand new this year is the "Ask a Professional" tent where pet owners can get expert advice from a veterinarian, canine nutritionist and Marty Hutchins, shelter animal behavior coordinator.

Another new feature for K-9 Game Day 2004 is a tent staffed with adoption counselors and adoptable dogs. Look for the banner that says "Adopt me!" Those interested in adopting a dog could find a friend for life in Thomas Square.

More than just fun and games

The society's 2005 Pets in Paradise calendar will be available for $10 each at K-9 Game Day. Sixty colorful pages show off more than 1,100 photos contributed by Hawaii pet lovers. Created just for Love-a-Dog month, Crazy Shirts' new Adopt-a-Dog T-shirts will also be available for purchase. These limited-edition T-shirts come with a coupon for a free canine microchip ID at K-9 Game Day or at the Crazy Shirts shops at Ala Moana and Pearlridge (only during October).

A major event highlight includes the early arrival of Santa and Mrs. Claus to the islands for the first session of the society's annual "Pictures with Santa Paws." This activity is made possible by donations from FujiFilm Hawaii and professional photographers. A group of volunteers will coordinate festive holiday accessories for those who pose for their holiday photo for a $20 donation to the society.

"Because this is such a popular event in the society's garden on the first weekend in November, we expanded it to an additional day," Watkins said. "We hope that lots of dog lovers will bring their whole family for a professional holiday photo of the entire family, pets included."

The photos and picture CD will be mailed within a couple weeks, arriving in plenty of time to make custom holiday cards.

"None of these great activities would be possible without the contributions of our volunteers," said Puou. "They make a difference in the lives of animals every day, but especially on Make a Difference Day. K-9 Game Day will be a tail-wagging good time. We hope that all Oahu dog lovers will add to the fun in the park, and don't forget to bring your dog."

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