Palouse dogs to take over pool
Fundraiser raises proceeds for the Humane Society of the Palouse
PETER AN | Daily Evergreen File
People and dogs of the Palouse flock to the Hamilton-Lowe Aquatic Center during the Howling at Hamilton event on Sept. 11, 2016 before the pool was winterized. More than 100 dogs of all breeds and sizes attended.
September 15, 2017
The Moscow Parks and Recreation Department and the Humane Society of the Palouse will host the 10th annual Howling at the Hamilton on Saturday.
For the event, Moscow Parks and Recreation opens the Hamilton-Lowe Aquatics Center for dogs before the pool is winterized. The cost is $10 per dog and requires each dog to be accompanied by at least one person.
Howling at the Hamilton is a fundraiser where all the proceeds go to the Humane Society of the Palouse.
Kellisa Owens, Moscow Parks and Recreation Department recreation supervisor, said the department provides the staff for Howling at the Hamilton with the help of volunteers. This is her first time helping run the event.
There is a dog jumping contest at 5 p.m. with gift basket prizes available. The gift baskets include dog toys, treats and collars. Along with the pool, there will also be a fenced-in grass area. Dog toys will be available for purchase.
Tara Wimer, Humane Society of the Palouse executive director, discusses the upcoming fundraising event, Howling at Hamilton.
Howling at the Hamilton has traditionally been on a Sunday. Now that it is on a Saturday, the expected turnout is higher, because more people tend to be available, Owens said.
Tara Wimer, the executive director for the Humane Society of the Palouse, said the attendance is usually 300 to 400 dogs throughout the day with at least 100 dogs at the pool at any given time.
Over the past decade, Howling at the Hamilton has raised a little over $280,000. Annually, the event brings in between $3,000 to $5,000, Wimer said.
About 20 percent of the annual budget for the Humane Society of the Palouse comes from fundraisers, and Howling at the Hamilton is one of the main events of the year, Wimer said.
“With this event, we’re able to buy more vaccines, more food and do lifesaving surgeries,” Wimer said.
Howling at the Hamilton fundraiser helps to keep the Humane Society of the Palouse, a no-kill shelter.
The Humane Society of the Palouse was founded in 1978 and is a no-kill animal shelter. Their purpose is to promote humane education, responsible ownership and advocate spaying and neutering, Wimer said.
The Humane Society of the Palouse also offers discounts on animal neutering or spaying; food bank programs to help people feed their pets when they are unable to; and a microchipping program, which is a service that helps locate lost pets.
The event will be held from 1 – 6 p.m. Saturday at the Hamilton-Lowe Aquatics Center in Moscow.
See last year’s Howling at the Hamilton:
