Winter waits for human Angel Kanash to throw the equally miniature tennis ball.
It was Winter’s first time swimming, owner Angel Kanash explained during Fur Kids Foundation’s annual Pooch Plunge Saturday morning. Luckily, Kanash went on, the long-haired chihuahua, who is less than 12-inches tall, was able to to test out the waters here rather than a much more intimidating lake or pond. Saturday, Winter, and around 20 other small dogs, frolicked in the temporarily occupied water park at the Gillette City Pool.
Kanash has had a busy summer, she said, and after working for the majority of June and July, the 19-year-old is planning her first trip to the lake this year. Winter, who is just under a year old, had never been exposed to water before, so she wanted to literally test the waters to see how Winter would react.
“I wanted to make sure she was okay with being in the water,” Kanash said reeling her arm back to toss a tennis ball into the pool. “Looks like she loves it.”
The pooch sprung up, lunging herself as far forward as possible. She was soaked from the ears to the paws by the time she returned the ball to Kanash.
Around the pool, small dogs in a variety of breeds, enjoyed their first-ever Pooch Plunge experiences. President of the Fur Kids Foundation Mary Melaragno said that she founded the event in 2012 to honor her late bullmastiff Morgan who passed away after a being diagnosed with a series of health issues, eventually dying of cancer.
“My husband and I don’t have kids,” Melaragno explained, as she watched the dogs splash.
“We treat our pets like our children.”
Melaragno and her husband did everything they could for their dog, Morgan, she said, and now they are doing what she can for all dogs in the community. This year, Melaragno included a “small dogs” division in the event, reserving time for K-9’s weighing under 40 pounds to swim.
With this, the organization opened the Pet Photo Contest to competitors, hoping to see photos of their pet in the 2021 Fur Kids Foundation calendar. The contest was free to enter, but voters pay a fee of $1 to support their favorite pics. As of Monday, the photo contest had raked in $570 for the foundation, and it will be live until Aug. 31.
Melaragno called the Pooch Plunge a “much needed necessity” in Gillette, as it provides a safe environment for dogs to get excited about exercise, she said.
Kanash agreed as she took Winter home. Now, looking forward to the pup’s inaugural trip to the Key Hole Lake.
Check out some of our photos from the 2020 Pooch Plunge and feel free to drop yours in the comment section!
