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The Roanoke Valley SPCA is participating in the national “Foster A Lonely Pet For the Holidays” pet fostering program.

Over 13,000 pet rescue organizations nationwide are trying to empty the kennels for Christmas, encouraging families to open their home for the holidays to an adoptable pet waiting for a forever home.

Fostered pets can be picked up between December 18-23, and can be returned to the RVSPCA between December 30-January 2.

The RVSPCA will provide all needed supplies and support to the temporary families. You can view all of the pets online at www.rvspca.org, or visit the shelter to meet them.  The goal is to have each of these pets into a home by noon on December 23.

Ann Marie Sweeney, foster coordinator for the RVSPCA, will answer questions about the program for people interested in making this Christmas a happy holiday for a pet in need.  Contact Sweeney at 344-4840, ext. 208 or e-mail asweeney@rvspca.org.

The opening night reception for “Best in Show”, the annual art show to benefit the Roanoke Valley SPCA, will be held Feb. 6, from 6:30 to 9 p.m. in the atrium of the Taubman Museum of Art.

Just like the pets and animals that inspire it, the artwork in the show can take a variety of forms, including oils, pastels, chalk or pencil, photography.

More than 100 regional artists will have their work on display, and the winner of "Best in Show" will be featured as the cover of the 2010 Pet Calendar.

Can’t make it to opening night? No worries. The Market Gallery, just a one block stroll from the Taubman Museum, will feature the art from Feb. 7 through Feb. 21. 

All artwork will be for sale.  Many of the artists will designate a portion (or all) of the proceeds of the sale to the RVSPCA.

Titan is waiting to be adopted at the RVSPCA.

If you were thinking about adding a pet to your family, you might consider taking advantage of a one-day-only event a the Roanoke Valley SPCA.

The first 10 pets adopted at the RVSPCA on Saturday will have the adoption fee waived.

The non-profit, no-kill shelter found out today they can participate in the Hill's Science Diet "Change the Life of a Pet Day" this Saturday, Jan. 24.  That means the pet food company will reimburse the RVSPCA the adoption fees for the first 10 pets on this day only, so adoptive families can take a critter home for free.

The program is being sponsored nationwide by the pet food maker teamed with actress and adopted-pet advocate Kyra Sedgwick.

Normal adoption fees will apply for the rest of the adoptions on Saturday, and all the typical adoption procedures will be followed, including the application and screening process, for the 10 pets that Hill's Science Diet will cover. No pets can be placed on hold, so it's first come, first home.

All pets adopted from the RVSPCA are up-to-date on shots, spayed or nuetered, and microchipped, and all are sent home with a starter kit that includes food and tips on making the pet happy in his or her new home.

Even if you aren't able to take advantage of this generous offer from Hill's Science Diet, the adoption fees are very reasonable, especially considering the pets have already been fixed, chipped and vaccinated.

Click here to visit the RVSPCA Web site, which includes photos of adoptable pets and a quiz you can take to help match you with the ideal animal.

Adopting a pet should not be a rash decision, and really shouldn't be influenced solely by a bargain deal. But if you were already considering opening your heart and home to a new pooch or kitty, this is a great way to get off to a good start.

If you go to Valley View Grande 16 theater this month to catch a movie, you may want to bring a donation of pet food with you.

The theater will continue to accept donations for the PET program (Pets Eat Too) for the rest of the month. PET provides food for cats and dogs through the Meals on Wheels program and Manna Ministries.

Now that the location issue is settled, all that's left to get a fenced-in, off-leash play area for Roanoke's pooches is to raise a pile of cash. And that's where you can help, and have fun doing it.

Here's a calendar of fundraisers I got yesterday from the dog park committee :

Cocktails for a Cause
Featuring a silent auction, a raffle and, of course, cocktails
Where: Trio Bistro, Bottle, Bar in downtown Roanoke
When: Thursday, Sept 18 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Fun Day in the Park
A cookout, a dog wash and more. A paw-friendly event; more details to follow
Where: Highland Park
When: Saturday, Sept. 27

Going to the Dogs
A downtown block party with live music and barbecue, with proceeds shared between St. Francis Service Dogs, the RVSPCA and the dog park
Where: Downtown Roanoke
When: Wednesday, Oct. 29

Can you think of a better way to kick off Adopt-a-Shelter-Dog month, also known as October, than with some fine food, wine and music in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains?

Neither can I.

Wine, Whiskers and Song is a benefit for the Roanoke Valley SPCA and will be held at Blue Ridge Vineyards in Eagle Rock on Saturday, Oct. 4, from noon until 5 p.m.

Dogs are invited to bring their well-behaved humans to the event, as long at least one human remains properly tethered to the end of each dogs' leash.

Admission is $10 for the I'm-over-21-and-can-prove-it wine tasters, $8 for no-thanks-I'm-driving festival goers. A souvenir wine glass is included in the tasters' admission fee.

Food from Teaberry's will be available for purchase, and the music is courtesy of the Blink Moon Boys.

For more information on “Wine, Whiskers & Song” or for directions to Blue Ridge Vineyard, visit www.blueridgevineyard.com or call 798-7642, or 344-4840, ext. 207.

Plenty of things for you and your dog this fall, so be sure to save the dates for the following events:

Wine, Whiskers and Song, a fundraiser for the Roanoke Valley SPCA, is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 4 from noon to 5 p.m. at Blue Ridge Vineyards. Well-behaved people and their leased pooches can enjoy this festival featuring wine tasting, bluegrass music and adoptable pets. Admission is $10 for tasters, $8 for non-tasters and free for dogs. Do not, however, plan on letting your dog be the designated driver.

Dogtoberfest, the annual fundraiser for St. Francis Service Dogs, happens Saturday, Oct. 11 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and features a blessing of the animals, an agility course, food, music and PawCasso pooch painting. Admission is free. Click here for directions.

Spay-ghetti Supper, another SPCA fundraiser, is planned for Thursday, Oct. 16 from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m.. Order in bulk and save on delicious spaghetti suppers. Dinners are $6 per plate in advance, $7.50 at the door, and $5 per plate for orders of 25 or more dinners purchased in advance. All proceeds go to fund spay/neuter services at the RVSPCA.

The 16th annual Howl-O-Ween Walk for the Animals is Sunday, Oct. 16 in Elmwood Park. The event will also feature a microchip clinic and DNA testing for your pooch.

Click here and scroll down to the "donate now" button to pay in advance for the Spay-gehtti dinners, microchipping and the what's-your-daddy? test. (Maury Povich will not be present.)

How would you like to see your dog's or cat's sweet, furry face plastered all over merchandise in thousands of stores all over the United States, all while helping homeless and abandoned pets?

Then click right here and enter the first PetsMart Charities' Just a Buck, Change Their Luck Online Photo Contest.

The contest, which began last Saturday and continues through Sept. 6, is in conjunction with the mega-pet-supply stores' Just a Buck, Change Their Luck campaign that raises money for critter-related programs and funds relief rescues that reunite and re-home pets displaced in natural disasters.

You are asked to submit a photo of your pet, along with a short essay on how your companion animal has changed your life. According to the rules, sponsors will review all eligible entries to choose 10 pooches and 10 kitties as finalists, based on the most inspirational stories. Then online voting will determine the winners.

The first-place pets will get a canvas pet portrait and some complimentary merchandise featuring their pet. Merchandise bearing the visage of the winning critters will be sold in PetsMart stores as part of next year's Just a Buck campaign.

Goodies related to this year's campaign, including $5 mouse pads and skins for laptops and iPods, $10 T-shirts and $15 tote bags, feature the work of artist Mitch Henderson and will be sold in stores until Aug. 26, with proceeds benefiting the non-profit organization.

According to the news release, PetsMart Charities has funded more than $70 million in grants to animal welfare organizations since 1994 and helped to save more than 3 million pets through in-store adoption programs, including my sweet greyhounds Dexter and Coral, both of whom we adopted from the front of the Valley View PetsMart.

If you decide to enter a photo in the contest, e-mail it to pets@roanoke.com and share it and your story with us. If your sweetie is chosen as a finalist, I promise you have my vote.

Blog reader Laura Green posted this comment last week about a doggy sporting event this weekend:

"There will be a Flyball tournament held August 9 and 10 in Blacksburg.

Three local teams will be represented: Heads or Tails (from Roanoke and Lynchburg), New River Express (in Blacksburg), and New River Rapids (from Blacksburg)."

Flyball is a relay race ran with teams of four dogs. I have seen this event on television, and so I am excited to attend a live event. I might even take at least one of my pooches along for the ride.

If you love a dog in the city of Roanoke, or are just supportive of people who love dogs in the city of Roanoke, you should attend tomorrow's public meeting to discuss the location.

TIME: 6 p.m.
PLACE: Municipal Building, First Floor EOC Conference Room (Room 159) 215 Church Avenue, SW in downtown Roanoke

Highland Park is the most likely site for the new park, and the committe touts these points for the choice of the location:

• Not near a Major road
• More than one acre available
• Shade from more established trees
• Water source on site
• Neighborhood improvement
• Closer to downtown and other neighborhoods
• Neighborhood support for the park

The meeting was requested by the neighborhood association. The committee is sure that those who oppose the park will be in attendance. They are asking that all those in favor of the proposed location also attend to share their opinions.

This is your chance to speak up, folks. The barking dog gets the park.