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The Watauga Humane Society Presents the Annual Dog Jog and Fur Ball Fundraising Events on Sept. 14

by Madison V. Fisler

Sept. 11, 2013. The Watauga Humane Society is pleased to announce that their annual fundraising events, the Dog Jog and Fur Ball will take place on Sept. 14. These two events help the Humane Society to raise money toward their yearly operating budget to provide the best quality of care possible for their animals. 

indexThe Watauga Humane Society’s Dog Jog will be held at the Watauga Parks and Recreation Complex off of State Farm Road.

“It’s just a lot of family fun with dogs,” said Gilda Gordon of the Watauga Humane Society.

“This year, we are honoring the older dogs at the shelter and featuring several of our older dogs that are up for adoption.”

Don’t have a dog to jog with? No problem! The humane society has plenty of pups who would love to run around with you for the event!

Registration for this fundraising event will begin at 11 a.m. with the Dog Jog held immediately following at noon. Through Sept. 13, early bird registration is only $22, while last minute registration is $25. Registration forms can be found online here or picked up at the following locations:

  • Animal Hospital of Boone
  • Animal Emergency and Pet Care Center of the High Country in Boone
  • The Mast General Store in Downtown Boone
  • The Watauga Humane Society
  • Pet Supplies Plus in Boone
  • Registration forms are available at the event for last minute registration.  

The Dog Jog is a one mile race with dogs and owners. There are two separate categories based on the dog’s size, over 30 lbs or under 29. The dog-owner team with the fastest time will receive a commemorative pet photo tile and a t-shirt. 

The event also features an individual donation race, which is for cats and dogs, to see who can raise the most funds. 

There is also a Team Challenge, which is a competition to see which team or business can raise the most money for the orphaned pets at the shelter. The winning team will have their team name displayed proudly at the adoption center and a commemorative photo tile. Team donations must be turned in prior to the event to count.

This exciting event is over a decade old, and has seen as many as 200 people come out to raise funds for the worthy cause. Last year, the Dog Jog raised $5,517.04. This year, the Humane Society is hoping to raise even more.

The 16th Annual Fur Ball will be held at Blowing Rock Country Club on the same day.

“This is our biggest fundraiser of the year,” Gordon said. “All proceeds go directly toward the operating budget of the shelter.”

Last year, the Fur Ball raised more than $56,000 for the Humane Society, which went straight toward the operating costs of the shelter and straight to helping the animals. 

Tickets are $100 per person, which includes dinner prepared by the chefs at Blowing Rock Country Club. There will also be a cash bar available, a silent auction and a wine raffle. Entertainment for the ball will be provided by The Harris Brothers. 

Auction items include exciting prizes like rounds of golf and much more!

Seating for the ball is reserved, so you must purchase your tickets in advance. For tickets, contact Jan Watson at 264-1743 or janwatson@charter.net.  The deadline for ticket sales is Sept. 11.