PETOSKEY — Downtown Petoskey is going to the dogs.
For a full week, downtown streets and stores will be filled with all sorts of canine-themed fun as part of the Dog Days of Summer celebration.
According to downtown Petoskey, there will be different dog-oriented activities each day. The week's schedule includes:
Aug. 17: Meet adoptable dogs from the Little Traverse Bay Humane Society from 10 a.m. to noon at Grandpa Shorter's Gifts. From 3-5 p.m., illustrator Shafer Staron will also be at Grandpa Shorter's for a signing of "Shelter Dogs: Stories of Rescued Fur Ever Friends."
Aug. 18: The Little Traverse Bay Humane Society will be at Grandpa Shorter's from 10 a.m. to noon with info on fostering animals. Also running from 10 a.m. to noon, dogs are welcome to visit the Downtown Trolley for fun photos.
Aug. 19: Meet the Public Schools of Petoskey's therapy dogs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Pennsylvania Park. K9 Divot from the Emmet County Sheriff's Office will also be in the park from 2-4 p.m.
Aug. 20: The Little Traverse Bay Humane Society's Howl at the Moon fundraiser will take place from 6-9 p.m. at the Walstrom Marine Boat Warehouse in Harbor Springs. To view auction items or purchase tickets, visit ltbhs.org.
Aug. 21: Tyler Benson, author of "The Adventures of Onyx the Coast Guard Dog," will be signing books from 2-4 p.m. at Grandpa Shorter's. Then, rescue dog groups will meet in Pennsylvania Park from 4-6 p.m. End the day by joining the ribbon cutting for the city's new dog park at 5 p.m. in the Bear River Recreation Area.
Aug. 22: There will be a Pup Cup Social from 1-3 p.m. at Luci & Carl's Candy Cabin.
Aug. 23: Join the Ruff Life Ramble with Ruff Life Pet Outfitters at 2 p.m. The walk will be canceled if it is warmer than 78 degrees.
All week: The Find the Shop Dog scavenger hunt will be going on all week, and participants who turn in their answers will have the chance to win Downtown Dollars. Grandpa Shorter's will also have daily shopping deals and a pet item donation promotion.
"Dog Days of Summer is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate something that brings so much happiness to so many people, our love for dogs," said Jennifer Shorter of Grandpa Shorter's Gifts in a statement. "We're excited to bring together adoptable dogs, authors, working dogs, families and our community for a week filled with meaningful moments, fun activities and special memories."
To make it even easier to help shelter animals find a loving new home, the Little Traverse Bay Humane Society is hosting its Summer Send Off adoption event, happening now through Aug. 31. During this event, adoption fees are waived for adoptable animals who have been at the shelter for more than one month.
"We rely on our community to open their homes to adoptable pets so that we can open a kennel for the next animal who needs us," said Jessica Mendezona, senior director of advancement at the Little Traverse Bay Humane Society, in a press release. "When you adopt, you're not only changing the life of the animal you bring home — you're creating space for us to help another. The need doesn't stop when our kennels are full, and every adoption gives us the opportunity to say 'yes' to another animal in need."
All animals adopted from the humane society are spayed or neutered, up to date on their vaccinations, microchipped, and current on appropriate preventatives.
For more adoption info, visit ltbhs.org/adoptions.
— Contact Jillian Fellows at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Celebrate the Dog Days of Summer in downtown Petoskey Aug. 17-23