Welcome to DogFest: a special event celebrating the extraordinary bond between humans and canines! Gather your friends, family and dogs for a day of fun, starting at 11 a.m. on Sept. 21 at Marjorie R. Post Community Park.
DogFest is Canine Companions’ signature event, held each year to raise funds for providing fully trained service dogs to disabled community members at no cost. The all-day celebration unites pet dogs, service dogs and families, honoring the extraordinary bond we share with our four-legged friends.
Linda Herskowitz of Hicksville has raised six future service dogs for Canine Companions and is now raising her seventh, Ash. She is looking forward to another year of DogFest.
“I don’t know who has the most fun: the dogs, the kids, or the adults,” she said.
Lisa Egry of Mt. Sinai is the mother of Canine Companions successor graduate Shaun and his service dog Honey. Shaun was paired with his first service dog at 10 years old.
Now 26, Lisa said he’s come such a long way with the help of dogs like honey.
“He was a very shy, quiet kid,” she said. “He would never talk in public. He has cerebral palsy and is in a wheelchair, and you know, kids growing up with him kind of shied away from him because they didn’t understand. When [Shaun] got his first dog, all the kids wanted to hang out with them, pet the dog. He talks a lot more now. He’s really come out of his shell.”
Shaun is gearing up for his favorite DogFest event, the costume contest. Lisa said each year he and his dog will dress up together.
“They’ve been everything. One year, they were Mr. Softee and an ice cream cone, a beekeeper and a bee, and angel and a devil, Shaun was a pot and honey was a lobster… I enjoy it because he gets so much joy out of it.” She is excited to see other families with their dogs and the culmination of the hard work that has gone into another year of planning.
DogFest is a dog- and family-friendly, free, and open to the public.
Activities include dog agility courses, bobbing for apples, a costume contest, a kissing booth, and more.
There will also be hand-crafted dog products for sale, and speakers from the Canine Companions program, both staff and graduates/dog recipients, will talk about the difference Canine Companions has made in their lives.
Visitors are welcome to bring their pet dog(s) pending the following qualifications:
There are no female dogs in heat. Dogs attending must be social and friendly with other dogs and people and comfortable in crowds. Dogs must be up to date on vaccinations; puppies must be over 4 months old and have completed their full set of puppy vaccinations, including rabies. All dogs must be kept on a leash, no longer than 6 feet, at all times.
Most importantly, dogs must be ready to have a good time, exhibited by lots of tail wagging!
Readers can register at canine.org/dogfestlongisland to raise funds or help spread the word about the event. Registrants bringing their dogs will receive a free DogFest bandana.
