nothin New Haven Independent | Love, Peace, Dogs, Humans & Music: Together…

Love, Peace, Dogs, Humans & Music: Together At Woofstock

Mary Johnson Photo

Woofstock brought thousands of humans and hundreds of dogs of every breed and size to the town Green Saturday for the third annual celebration of love and peace, dog style.

And what was amazing, said Laura Burban, the director of the Dan Cosgrove Animal Shelter, was how great every dog was.” Yes, dogs of all sizes were nervous when they arrived. (I know, I brought mine.) That’s because they are first met with music and next by dogs of all sizes and shapes, all eager to say hello. And then there are folks like me, who stop to ask dog owners about their dogs while my dog asks, what about me?

Mary Johnson Photo

Burban said the turnout for Woofstock, a take-off on the famous Woodstock festival of August,1969, was larger than last year’s. She estimated more than 5,000 dog lovers arrived at the Green outside Town Hall between the hours of noon and 8 p.m. And often they came with one or two dogs in tow. Burban is pictured here with Ken Engelman, one of Woofstock’s main organizers. 

It was fun and it was awesome. And how great every dog was. They were so well behaved and they listened to their owners. It was amazing to see,” Burban said in an interview. Sometimes concerns are raised about having so many animals on the Green. But it is always astonishing to see how well behaved these dogs are.”

Sally E. Bahner Photo

Some dogs started to pant right away. It was warm and there was a good deal of activity around them. The shelter made sure there were water bowls everywhere and the dogs, large and small, did not hesitate to drink.

Dunk Tank Activity 

Mary Johnson Photo

One of the more amazing events was the Dunk Tank. For five bucks you were given three balls.

Sally E. Bahner Photo

The aim of the game was to have the ball hit the target. (That wasn’t too hard to do). Then the seat in the dunk tank collapsed and with it the about-to-be dunked person.

Sally E. Bahner Photo

In this case, the dunkee was Fire Chief Tom Mahoney. Here he is underwater.

How many communities can say that their fire chief or their police chief would sit in a dunk tank and be dunked for hours to help out dogs?” Burban asked. It is really amazing that they would do that,” she said.

Mary Johnson Photo

Of course both chiefs love dogs. Police Chief Kevin Halloran (pictured above) was in the dunk tank when we arrived. He went up and down as if to music every time the ball hit the target. He smiled all the way.

Following him was Mahoney, who was sworn in as the town’s new fire chief earlier this month. He, too, smiled away after being dunked over and over again. 

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Mahoney brought his wife, Sherry and his dog Lola with him.

Hippie Dog Costume Contest

One of the highlights of the day was the Hippie Dog Costume Contest, which got underway at 2 p.m.

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Probate Judge Frank Forgione (second from left) took his place on the stage. He knows from prior experience that this contest is not an easy one to judge.

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Getting ready and calming nerves was first on the list for owners.

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Sometimes getting down on one’s knees helped. 

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Sometimes being a spectator is all that is required.

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Agreed, said this German Shepherd.

When everyone seemed ready, Burban asked the owners and their dogs to assemble in a semi-circle in front of the stage. The Hippie Dog Costume Contest was about to start.

Mary Johnson Photo

The first dog in the line of about 15 contestants was Jamison, a Bullshire Terrier adopted from the Cosgrove shelter not long ago. Jameson, now called Cimarron, could barely walk because his silk outfit fell beneath his large front paws. But he managed. Indeed he managed so well that he and his owner Diane Harlin came in third place. 

Mary Johnson Photo

Second place went to Sky Wolf, a black German shepherd, who is nearly 11 months old. His owner is Joe Ward. They are pictured here.

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And first place was awarded to the elegant Chihuahua named Sienna who is 6 years old. She wore a great pair of sunglasses. Here she is with her owner Linda Caruso.

Burban said Caruso and Ward’s first and second place prizes are waiting for them at the Animal Shelter, which is located at 749 E. Main St.

Woofstock Grows 

Ken Engelman, a member of the animal shelter commission, and one of the driving forces behind the success of Woofstock, told the Eagle that the growth of the event, both in numbers and services, tells the story of Woofstock’s reach. 

When Woofstock was first launched in 2013, the event drew six vendors, he said. Last year that number jumped to 34 vendors and this year it reached 68 vendors. Everybody wants to be a part of it,” he said.

This year the medical world arrived at Woofstock. Engelman said there were chiropractors whose practice centers on pets, veterinarians interested in holistic medicine, medical insurers, and even aquatic pools for animals. While not quite medical, a Tarot reader was also available for consultation. 

Sally E. Bahner Photo

Burban said she, her commission and her staff are eager to do Woofstock next year. The Cosgrove Animal Shelter had its own tent. Eunice LaSala, a longtime member of the animal commission, was busy selling tee shirts depicting the event. Here she is being interviewed by RTM member and local BCTV reporter” Frank Twohill.

Mary Johnson Photo

Burban said she doesn’t have all the numbers in yet but she believes this year’s Woofstock brought in over $10,000 plus lots of love.

Her goal had been between $15,000 and $20,000. There were between 30 and 40 volunteers, including young kids with sand buckets who went around the green asking folks for their $10 admission fee. 

The shelter’s next big fundraiser will be Home for the Holidays,” which naturally enough takes place in November.

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