People parade for pets

June 26, 2011|By DAVE MCMILLION | davem@herald-mail.com

By Ric Dugan/Staff Photographer

HAGERSTOWN — Stories of the struggle with cancer often revolve around people’s battle with the disease.

But animals deal with it too, as Penny Beaver of Chambersburg, Pa., pointed out Sunday.

Beaver was among the participants in the third annual Bark for Life, a fundraiser for the American Cancer Society.

During the event at Fairgrounds Park, dog owners walked around a loop in the park in an effort aimed to raise about $2,000.

Beaver ended the walk with her dog Tippon at her side.

Tippon was wearing a shirt around its body bearing the message “I’m walking in memory of my baby sister.”

That dog — a chow chow named Sheena — had liver cancer and died Feb. 10, Beaver said.

Beaver said she realized something was wrong when Sheena’s stomach became bloated. The cancer had spread too far for doctors to perform surgery on the dog, Beaver said.

“She was my pride and joy,” said Beaver, recalling how tough it was to lose her pet.

Sunday’s event was part of a fundraising event for the annual American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life.
Although Relay for Life was held June 17 and 18 at Fairgrounds Park, there often are other fundraising events to raise money in support of the event. This year’s Relay for Life fundraising goal is $200,000 and so far, $165,000 has been raised, said Cathy Beckley-Thomas, community manager for the local American Cancer Society office.

Money was raised Sunday partly through registration fees for Bark for Life, Beckley-Thomas said.

The registration fee for the event was $20 for the first dog and $10 for each additional dog.

About 40 dogs were registered for Sunday’s event, Beckley-Thomas said.

Money also was raised through a Bark ’n’ Bake sale, which offered treats for dogs and owners, raffles and other efforts.

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