Gloria Zufall has been the driving force behind seven events
that helped raise $27,000 to open a dog park, but she hopes next
week’s Wag-A-Bout is her last hurrah.
Morgan Hill – Gloria Zufall has been the driving force behind seven events that helped raise $27,000 to open a dog park, but she hopes next week’s Wag-A-Bout is her last hurrah.
“I’m ready to pass the torch,” said Zufall, a retired teacher and the leader of the grassroots Morgan Hill Dog Owners Group (D.O.G.), which includes dozens more members in the community. “I just feel incredibly filled with satisfaction. We did exactly what we wanted to do.”
The Wag-A-Bout festival will feature professional fly ball-catching mutts and live sheep herding. It takes place from 9am to 3pm Saturday, Aug. 4, at Community Park, 17000 Monterey St.
A 5-K walk/run for dogs and their owners will be followed by free entertainment and activities including the “Mutts in Motion” fly ball racing team from Fresno. Additionally, a sheep-herding demonstration by local champion Gordon Contival is planned.
About a dozen vendors as well as Friendly Fred’s Hot Dog Wagon will be on hand to satisfy to crowd.
There is a $20 pre-registration fee to enter the 5-K walk/run; same-day registration costs $25. Registration opens at 8:30am.
The 5-K course consists of four laps around the perimeter of Community Park. About 60 participated in last year’s event, which was titled Walk-A-Pooch. Zufall hopes as many as 200 people participate next week. She said the event is receiving more publicity this year thanks to the dog park’s bulletin board and word-of-mouth. About 65 volunteers have come forward to run the event.
In January, D.O.G. saw its dreams come true when the city opened a 1.5-acres off-leash dog park at Community Park on Edmundson Avenue. It’s the city’s first public area dedicated to dogs.
Despite an outbreak of kennel cough and at least one vicious dog attach, the park has been welcomed by many relieved dog owners who can finally let their pets run free beyond their yards without fear of a citation.
The Morgan Hill City Council contributed $20,000 to the project after recognizing strong support for D.O.G.’s fund-raising efforts since 2005. Additionally, the city gave land at the south end of Community Park for the project.
The park’s brief history includes a few glitches. Last winter, a kennel-cough scare led to fears about the facility being a health hazard. But volunteers took the opportunity to pass out fliers about vaccinations against the disease.
Also, there has been at least one dangerous attack at the park when a pit bull mauled a terrier. The terrier survived, but Zufall said the pit bull’s owner euthanized the violent offender. After the incident, D.O.G. members organized workshops at the park to teach better dog handling and safety tips.
Zufall said she hopes to raise $12,000 for the dog park, enough to cover maintenance expenses until January 2009. At that point, the city will pay for mowing and irrigation, which costs about $4,800 a year.
“Getting the dog park built and up and running was, for me, an act of love for the dogs,” Zufall said. “They needed a place to run and go be dogs.”
2ND ANNUAL WAG-A-BOUT
- How to Register: Download the entry forms at www.morganhilldog.org or call (408)
779-3451. You can also register at the event.
- Cost for dog and owner: $20 pre-registration or $25 on event day to enter the 5-K walk/run.
Free entertainment and activities: Demonstrations by “Mutts in Motion” fly ball-catching dogs and sheep-herding dog. Doggie contests include “cutest costume” and “best trick.”
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Other: 13 vendors, including food and refreshments
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Location and hours: 9am-3pm, Saturday, Aug. 4, at Morgan Hill Community Park, 17000 Monterey Road. Check-in and on-site registration will be located near the tennis courts. 5-K participants should arrive no later than 8:30am.
