5th annual Thank God 4 Paws. (Kaitlyn Hession/Cortland Voice).
Dog owners and dog lovers rejoiced with praise to their four-legged friends as the 5th annual Thank God 4 Paws Festival was held at the Cortland Faith Baptist Church on September 7th.
Members of the Cortland community and beyond participated in this event to have a chance to not only meet other dogs that live in the area, but to also see rescue dogs in a new light as they were brought up on stage and shown to the audience.
One of the dogs that were shown was Flo, the Lemon Beagle. Originally found as a stray to the Syracuse area, she was taken in by Bernard’s Beagle Rescue and wants to find her forever home. Flo loves to snuggle and play and is also described as a “Squeaky toy” dog as she loves playing with squeaky toys all day long! She’s great with other dogs, as she currently lives with three, and is great with kids over the age of 10. She will be the dog you’ll remember for years to come!
Guests were encouraged to bring their four-legged friends along as they can participate in the costume contest, meet other dogs, or learn obedience from the training sessions on stage. Winners of the costume contest were awarded reward-based dog behavior training sessions or private consultations from Bev Warner, owner of Good Dog Unlimited. Other activities guests enjoyed were making paw prints and handprints, a Dunk Tank, games, and raffle prizes!
All the fun that came with this event also held a purpose. Every year, a portion of the funds raised by the vendors, raffle tickets, and donations are given to different rescue groups. This year, the Mountain Rottie Rescue from Monticello, NY were chosen.
Participants of the Faith Baptist Church and guests also connected each other to God through the small community event as they praised God for the gift dogs have given to the world!
Here are some photos of the event (All photos by Kaitlyn Hession):
