Petawawa embraces the dog days of summer with SPCA fundraiser
On a sweltering hot Saturday morning at Petawawa Point, pooches and their pet owners were soaking up the sun.
The Renfrew County SPCA held their first in-person fundraiser in almost two years, aptly named the Doggy Paddle, calling on people to canoe with their canine, kayak with their kitten, or SUP (that's stand up paddleboard) with their pup.
"It’s been very challenging," says Heather Jobe, community development coordinator with the Renfrew County OSPCA, on raising funds for the organization. "So we’ve been looking for unique ways to shift and make it happen because we’ve got animals coming through our doors every single day."
"This is so exciting," Jobe told CTV News Ottawa, referencing the over 50 people that came out to the beach. "So it reminds me that we still have a ton of support in our community."
For some like Katherine Daley, the event was a relatively new experience for her and her dog Earl, who shared a kayak with her.
"We actually don’t get out a lot, but he is a good boat dog. I think he’s more afraid of swimming. He did really good," said Daley. "He did a lot of whining considering he didn’t do a lot of the work."
It was a lot of work for Daley. Paddlers took a two-hour guided tour around Petawawa Point just before noon, but that didn’t stop the heat and humidity from beating down.
"Yeah, he’s a little hot right now," said Janelle Wojtowicz of her dog Blitz, who took regular dips in the Ottawa River off her paddleboard. "This is probably the furthest we’ve gone on the paddleboard together, so we’re just trying to challenge both of us today."
The day turned out to be too hot for Danny the golden Labrador as well, who took an early plunge off his kayak.
"I don’t know if you saw him be the first dog to jump off the boat, but he was," said he owner Vivian Reeder. "He loves water."
"We usually do the paddle festival, the one without dogs that’s here," said Reeder, who is visiting the valley from New Hampshire on vacation. "But this year they had this, and we love our dogs so it was almost better for us."
At the end of the day when everyone was pooched, the fundraiser brought in over $6,300 for the Renfrew County SPCA.
"All these people that are here right now with their animals, that’s a very powerful message and it’s an important one," said Jobe. "These guys need a voice."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
Stormy Daniels took the witness stand Tuesday at Donald Trump's hush money trial, describing for jurors a sexual encounter the porn actor says she had with him in 2006 that resulted in her being paid off to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Jeremy Skibicki has 'uphill battle' to prove he's not criminally responsible in Winnipeg killings: legal analysts
Accused killer Jeremy Skibicki could have a challenging time convincing a judge that he is not criminally responsible for the deaths of four Indigenous women, a legal analyst says.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
Air France flight from Paris to Seattle lands in Iqaluit after heat smell in cabin
A plane travelling from Paris to Seattle was forced to make an emergency landing in Iqaluit after there was a heat smell in the cabin during the flight.
CFL suspends Argos QB Chad Kelly at least nine games following investigation
The CFL suspended Toronto Argonauts quarterback Chad Kelly for at least nine regular-season games Tuesday following its investigation into a lawsuit filed by a former strength-and-conditioning coach against both the player and club.
Boy Scouts of America changing name for first time in 114 years, aiming for inclusivity
The Boy Scouts of America is changing its name for the first time in its 114-year history and will become Scouting America. It's a significant shift as the organization emerges from bankruptcy following a flood of sexual abuse claims and seeks to focus on inclusion.
RCMP not investigating possible foreign interference cases related to Chiu, Dong: Duheme
Canada's federal police force is not investigating any possible instances of foreign interference in the cases of former Conservative MP Kenny Chiu and Liberal-turned-Independent MP Han Dong, RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme says.
Federal government grants B.C.'s request to recriminalize hard drugs in public spaces
The federal government is granting British Columbia's request to recriminalize hard drugs in public spaces, nearly two weeks after the province asked to end its pilot project early over concerns of public drug use.