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The hubs and I had a splendid time last night at the "Putting on the Dog" fundraiser for St. Francis Service Dog Foundation.

The food was indescribably good and the company was equally enjoyable. Read Lindsey Nair's Front Burner column in next Wednesday's newspaper for an in-depth analysis of the cuisine and how seven top chefs co-habituated in one kitchen.

If you are ever fortunate enough to spend time with a service dog, you will be in the presence of true dedication to duty and what is obviously a spiritual bond between a person and a dog.

We shared our table with Sarah and her service dog Drake, and with Jennifer and her service dog Memphis. Both dogs were black labs and trained by the St. Francis organization. Memphis stayed quietly under the table during dinner; you would never have known he was there.

Drake remained right by Sarah's side through most of the evening, waiting to be helpful. When a server dropped a fork, Drake was more than happy to retrieve it for him. I was a little jealous because my hubby had the prime petting spot with Drake. Normally you want to refrain from petting a service dog, but last night was a special occasion.

A few facts we took away from our evening: It takes years and thousands of dollars to train these wonderful pooches for service. The dogs are provided to their partners free of charge. The waiting list for a service dog is two to five years.

Photos by Stephanie Klein-Davis/The Roanoke Times

PetSmart is throwing a big old birthday party and you and your pet are invited.

Here's the scoop from a news release:

WHAT: A complimentary birthday event for pets and their pet parents in all PetSmart stores. Pets are encouraged to wear their best decorated party hat and compete to win PetSmart gift cards. Pets also have a chance to learn how to "high five" with accredited trainers and show off their new trick in a "high five" contest. Party favors include a digital photo package and goodie bags. Supplies are limited, so pets should arrive early.

WHEN: Tuesday, April 22 from 6 to 8 p.m. The trick contest is at 7 p.m., the party hat contest starts at 7:30 p.m.

WHERE: All PetSmart stores throughout the U.S. and Canada, including the one at Valley View Mall in Roanoke.

I guess no clown or pony rides, but it still sounds like a good time.

Today we start a new feature here for Fridays at the Happy Wag: Take Me Home.

Each week, I will feature at least one pet from here in the Roanoke Valley who is looking for love in all the right places. And I will try to keep you updated on each pet's status in their search for a family.

We will start with Garcia.

Garcia has been living at the League for Animal Protection since August of 2006. He is a 5-year-old border collie/lab mix and is really a terrific dog with a super personality. Garcia is probably best suited for a home where he is the only dog.

Garcia is currently the Lobby Dog at LAP. He's never had an accident in the lobby and loves to hang out on his soft dog bed watching the volunteers do their chores.

So, if you would like a super sweet pooch who can hang out on a soft bed, patiently waiting for a walk while you do your chores, then Garcia may be your next best buddy. Come to think of it, I would like to be your best buddy. But Garcia is much cuter, so adopt him.

You can meet Garcia at the LAP shelter at 603 Poor Farm Road in Fincastle.

Seems like everyone in Southwest Roanoke County is doing there part to help the RVSPCA. Click here for a link to a story about kids at Hidden Valley who raised money to help homeless pets.

Personally, I would love to see the RVSPCA and all the other homeless animal shelters here go out of business. Yeah, you read that right. Closed up forever. Shut down due to lack of need because all dogs and cats and have loving homes and they are spayed and neutered and not producing unwanted pups and kittens. End of problem, no need for shelters.

You may say that I am a dreamer, but I am not the only one.

Get out your tie-dyed T-shirt and your Birkenstocks, put a flower in your hair, find a hemp collar for your dog and spend a groovy day at Woofstock- a music festival fundraiser for Roanoke Valley animal rescue groups.

Here's some information I lifted directly for the RVSPCA Web site:

"Sponsor Hounds brings us Woofstock Dog Festival on May 31from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in downtown Roanoke's Elmwood Park. Rain date is June 1.

Entertainment includes all-day music with Half Moon, The Honest Scoundrels, Lonesome Pine and Burning Bridges. Silent auction, food vendors, face painting.

Games and contests including Dog Trivia, Ugly Dog Contest, Pet/Owner Look-alike, Costume Contest, and more! Educational seminars, displays, rescue groups.

$8 admission for adults, $3 for kids 7 to 12, free for kids under 6 and dogs. Proceeds from admission fees & silent auction, plus other events, to benefit local animal rescue groups including RVSPCA, Dalmatian Rescue of SW Va, Franklin County Humane and Harmony Rescue."

Click here to read about some very sweet folks at in a retirement community in Southwest Roanoke County who baked snacks for the pooches at the RVSPCA.

While you are there, take a look around the community blog for Southwest County. If you live in Salem or Botetourt, there's a news blog about your community, too.

I got this e-mail this morning from Kathy Perdue at the Roanoke Valley SPCA:

"We need help! There are 50 puppies at the pound that we want to bring over to the RVSPCA. We have another 30 puppies in foster care due to come back next week, with another 20 set to come back the week after that. Obviously we don't have adequate space to save these precious lives. Can you help get the word out that PUPPY SEASON is on us and they are available for adoption?"

Consider it done, Kathy.

I realize I may be preaching to the choir here, since it's probably a fair assumption that most of you blog readers already have pets, but you may be able to help with foster care.

And if you know people who are looking for a new pet, please urge them to consider the dogs and cats at the shelters. This adorable little guy pictured above here is among the hundreds of unwanted pups and kittens that end up there every spring.

I found this entry on Monday in our calendar of events:

WHERE: The Farm At Taylor's Store Wirtz, Va
WHEN: 10 AM to 1 PM Saturday April 26
WHAT: Healing Your Dogs With Energy
COST: $50.00 WITH PERCENT benefit The Franklin Co Humane Society's SNAP Program
CONTACT: Diane@ 540-420-7241 or reikipets.com

Curious about this workshop, I fired off an e-mail full of questions to Diane Novak, the seminar facilitator. Here are her answers:

Q: Can participants bring their dogs with them?

A: Yes but they have to get clearance to bring them as I have to make sure animals all dogs are up to date with shots and 'play well with others'. At the last workshop that wasn't the case with two.

Q: When you say healing, are we talking about physical ailments or emotional problems or both?

A: They can be both physical and emotional. What I am teaching pet owners is the basic rudiments of energy healing, and how to identify when the body is out of balance or is 'blocked' so to speak.

Q: Are there materials that participants will leave with?

A: People will be leaving with materials I put together in a folder.

Q: What percentage is being donated to the FCHS and what exactly is SNAP?

A: Half of the workshop profits will be dedicated to SNAP (The Spay Neuter Assistance Project.) I'm very excited about SNAP since the goal is to help low income pet owners in Franklin County afford the cost of a spay or neuter for their pets by being subsidized. Pet owners will be required to show proof of need.

Q: Can you give me the exact address for the Farm at Taylor's Store?

A: Well for now the owners would rather I give the people who sign up for the class exact directions. I hope you understand
Novak also added that there will be healthy snacks provided at the workshop and Energy 101 with Equines is next on her agenda. She also said a Roanoke Times reporter is doing a story for the Your Community page of the Virginia section of the newspaper on SNAP. Novak is banking on media coverage for the program raising awareness as well as funds.

"I'm hoping we get major donations for it since we can't get going without the moola!" she wrote.

As I mentioned in yesterday's Photo of the Week blog entry, I had the pleasure of spending part of last Saturday with some wonderful volunteers doing good work at the League for Animal Protection in Fincastle.

Fresh mulch was added to the landscaping at the shelter's entrance and a fresh coat of paint was added to the kitty playroom known as the Cattery. The place was looking pretty spiffy by the time I had to leave. (Just to be clear: I snapped photos and took notes while other folks did the hard work.)

LAP is a no-kill shelter is located at 603 Poor Farm Road in Fincastle, near Central Academy Middle School. The site, formerly the Botetourt County pound, is nestled quietly by a stream among many mature trees. The place is serene, especially on a sunny spring morning.

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