Beach dog walk brings out humans, pups to raise funds for shelter
Wagging tails and grinning muzzles abounded at the Hilton Head Humane Association's Dog Walk on the Beach on Saturday morning, where dog owners and their furry companions took a stroll to raise funds for the shelter.
The mutts, the purebreds, the barkers, the sniffers, the svelte and the dough balls all took off from a balloon arch near Coligny Plaza on Hilton Head Island and walked about half a mile down the beach before turning around.
Some dogs were happier to walk than others.
Elvis, a 10-year-old golden retriever, moved in stops and starts, alternating between walking on his leash and digging his paws in the sand.
"Hey Elvis, we're walking," owner Frank O'Connell of Hilton Head reminded him.
O'Connell, who adopted Elvis from the humane society four years ago, said the pooch was the first purebred golden retriever the shelter has had.
O'Connell volunteers at the shelter and said he "fell in love with (Elvis) at first sight."
Up ahead, a miniature long-haired dachshund named Sadie Jane trotted at the ankles of a hulking German shepherd named Buddy. The two dogs are best friends, said Buddy's owner, Willie Moore of Hilton Head.
She and Sadie Jane's owner, Knute Welzant, are also friends.
The four go walking every morning together around their Palmetto Dunes neighborhood, giving treats to the other dogs they pass.
"We may not know all the neighbors' names, but we know all the dogs' names," Moore said.
The size difference between Sadie Jane and Buddy drew looks, but not nearly as many as two black toy poodles, which were honestly hard to tell from rabbits ("They're chick magnets, I'll tell ya," their owner said). Another poodle named Maddie stood out with colorful tie-dyed fur.
Maddie, a shelter dog, gets her fur dyed shades of green, blue and fuchsia for the walk every year using vegan hair dye, said Tollie Cooler of Groomingdales on Hilton Head.
The funds raised at the event, which cost $30 per person, will go toward caring for the animals at the humane society, the feral cat program, spay-and-neuter vouchers and a community fund that helps people with their veterinarian bills, said humane society executive director Franny Gerthoffer.
Last year, the walk had about 120 (human) participants, Gerthoffer said, adding that she expected about the same number this year.
"If more there are more, even better," she said.
After the walk, there were cookies for the humans and dog biscuits for the animals, and there was barking, cheering and good-natured socializing for all.
Follow reporter Erin Shaw at twitter.com/IPBG_ErinShaw. To view a Snapchat story of the dog walk, follow erinshaw9.
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This story was originally published April 25, 2015 at 4:18 PM with the headline "Beach dog walk brings out humans, pups to raise funds for shelter."