News & Updates from the park

May 2016 Long Weekend Petrasko’s Event

Posted by Kilcona Park Dog Club / in Information, News /

Are you excited about May long weekend

and planting your garden?

We are too!

 

Come by Petrasko’s Market and Garden
for all your needs this Victoria Day long weekend.

 

Have a Membership with Kilcona Park Dog Club Inc.? Great!
Save 10% off on all seeds and bedding plants

 

Don’t have a membership with us? Sign up for only $10 this weekend.

 

When:   Saturday May 21 9:00a.m. – 1:00p.m.

Sunday May 22 10.00a.m. – 2:00p.m.

 

Where: 1577 Henderson Hwy. (Corner of Henderson and Chief Peguis)

Hope to see you there!

Meet Crusoe the Celebrity Dog

Posted by Kilcona Park Dog Club / in Information /

Meet Crusoe the Celebrity Dog

Kilcona Dog Park

Monday, April 25

4 to 6pm

Raising Awareness for Tick & Flea Prevention, Meeting Fans, Signing Books!

Our favorite celebrity dog, Crusoe, is travelling across Canada, raising awareness for tick and flea prevention.

 

He’s making appearances at dog parks, doing interviews, looking cool, and meeting up with his fans.

Crusoe and his “No Bite is Right” team will be at Kilcona to sign books, take some pics together, give out some cool swag, and spread the word about this important cause.

 

Follow the link to the “Crusoe Named Spokesdog for No Bite is Right viral video.  https://www.facebook.com/crusoedachshund/videos/1132552233499937/

Crusoe’s website – http://www.celebritydachshund.com/

Oh My Dog! – It’s Sprockett’s Doggy Day Camp

Posted by Kilcona Park Dog Club / in Information /

Oh My Dog! – It’s Sprockett’s Doggy Day Camp

by Robyn Maharaj

I’ll bet Theresa Moehring, owner of Sprockett’s Doggy Day Camp, hears it all the time, “I want to work here!”

Like Kilcona Dog Park, Theresa’s spacious dog daycare is usually packed (pun intended) with dogs of all shapes and sizes who are ready for socialization and fun.

Sprockett’s play area

You know it’s a terrific place when the owner enjoys being there as much as the clients and staff. “I was working a job that I enjoyed and was deciding between furthering my education in order to further my career, or take a chance and start my own business doing something I loved, working with animals.”

Theresa Moehring, owner of Sprockett’s Doggy Day Camp
Photo credit: Laura Peattie

“With a ton of family support I decided to take the risk. I named the business after my dog, Sprockett (who lived to the ripe age of 21). It took a lot of hard work, sacrifices and extremely long hours but here I am today, enjoying owning my own business, doing something I love,” Moehring says.

Sprockett’s Doggy Day Camp is located at 10 Keenleyside Street.

The idea for a dog day camp first came to Theresa in 2010, but it was in 2012 that she first opened her doors to the dogs of Winnipeg (and surrounding areas). The business has been thriving ever since.

Day camp benefits dogs by building social confidence, providing an energy outlet, and reducing or eliminating destructive behaviors

The benefits to owners are happy tired dogs at the end of the day, and guilt-free pleasure knowing their dog had a great time running around, playing or just being loved.

“Sprockett’s offers peace of mind, knowing that while you are busy working, running errands, cleaning house, visiting relatives or whatever it is that takes your attention from this well-loved member of your family, they are having fun making new friends, playing with staff, cuddling or just not being alone.

You get to come pick them up, see the joy in their face when you arrive. You go home to relax or go out for the evening with the confidence that, after a busy day at Sprockett’s, your dog is content to relax.

For those owners with destructive pets, we have heard of a remarkable decrease if not a complete stop to destructive behavior once they figure out the right daycare schedule for their dog,” Moehring says.

“Pets are no longer just pets or working animals, they are a big part of people’s families. Dogs are social creatures that need the affection and attention of other dogs – and daycare provides a safe environment for this to happen. It’s also a guilt-free alternative for those on the go.

People spend more hours away from home now and daycare provides those people who otherwise wouldn’t be able to have a dog due to those hours the opportunity to still be an excellent owner,” Moehring says.

Sprockett’s focusses on creating a safe environment where dogs learn to trust their caregivers as pack leaders.

There’s a screening process for all dogs coming into the facility. Staff separate dogs according to age, size and personality and introduce new dogs slowly to their group.

Dogs are never pushed to join in, but are allowed to move at their own pace, which helps build up their confidence.

According to Theresa, some dogs take five minutes to get into a group and others take up as much as five months (although that’s pretty rare).

“We have had many dogs with either fear aggressive tendencies or extreme shyness issues that we have helped develop into happy, confident, stable dogs who at one time wouldn’t be able to go through the door. These dogs are now dragging their owners in to say hello to the staff and all their doggy friends.”

“We have many kinds of dog owners that bring their dogs to Sprockett’s. Those that need to get out that excess doggy energy, those that feel bad leaving their dog alone at home, those that are renovating or moving and those that have noticed behavioral issues that they have heard socializing can help with. The main common trait between all these types of owners is that they love their dogs and are doing their best to keep them healthy and happy.”

Sprockett’s is a KPDC Platinum Sponsor. Theresa believes it is an excellent fit. “Kilcona Park Dog Club believes in the same concept as Sprockett’s, which is to provide a safe, healthy environment for dogs to socialize with other dogs. There was definitely a need for an all-weather indoor place like Sprockett’s in the northeast area of the city. With the increase in dog owners in this area and also the numerous pet service industries that we have, it was inevitable that a place like this would open up. We couldn’t have been a better fit if we tried.”

Theresa Moehring with her dad, John Moehring caring for KPDC volunteers’ dogs at Winnipeg Dog Fest.
Photo credit: Laura Peattie

About Robyn Maharaj

Robyn is a freelance writer and former arts administrator who works for the Canadian Animal Blood Bank. Robyn’s writing and poetry has been published in Canadian literary journals, newspapers, magazines and anthologies. Her first book, Dahmer Detective: The Interrogation and Investigation that Shocked the World (co-author, an American true crime story) will be published in early 2016. An active member of Kilcona Park Dog Club’s Marketing Committee, Robyn’s talent for writing finds expression on the club’s website, where she is a regular content provider. Robyn helped the Board secure a $20,000 grant for park improvements, developed the “Number Two Clue” responsible pet education initiative, and promoted KPDC’s successful campaign to elect a dog-friendly Mayor and Council. An enthusiastic volunteer at fundraising and park stewardship events, Robyn is seen below serving up tasty dog treats at the Bone Appétit Bistro.

 

City of Winnipeg Animal Services Agency – A Dog’s Best Friend!

Posted by Kilcona Park Dog Club / in Information /

City of Winnipeg Animal Services Agency – A Dog’s Best Friend!
Over the past month WINDOG has received a few complaints from dog owners who failed to renew their licenses. As a result of Winnipeg Animal Services’ “Spot” checks, these dog owners received a hand-delivered $231.25 fine.
Some observers mistakenly view the fine as cash grab, however none of the revenue from fines goes to Animal Services. The fine is paid to directly to the Provincial Department of Finance to cover court costs and the city’s legal fees.
For the record, WINDOG and its member organizations fully support Animal Services’ Zero Tolerance licensing policy. Funds raised through the sale of licenses have allowed Animal Services to transform Winnipeg’s former dog pound into a virtually no-kill facility where lost and abandoned dogs are fed and sheltered.

Nine-week-old Mandy cuddles with an Animal Services Officer after the puppy was thrown from a moving vehicle.
Photo credit: City of Winnipeg

Ninety-five per cent of the dogs that are picked up and taken to the shelter are either reunited with their owners, adopted, or sent to a local animal rescue. Only animals considered too aggressive or terminally ill are euthanized. Since the Zero Tolerance policy was introduced the number of dogs euthanized has dropped dramatically. In 2008, 359 dogs were euthanized. By 2014, that number dropped to 52.

Animal Services estimates there are over 112,000 pet dogs in Winnipeg. About 50,000 are currently licensed.

Animal Services COO, Leland Gordon, makes it clear that license fees generate the revenue the City of Winnipeg needs to deliver services to pets and pet owners. “When you pay your $32 for a dog license you’re protecting your dog – but you’re also paying for a system that provides the services the community needs.” Animal Services depends on license fees to run its operations.

• Animal Services houses and cares for lost and abandoned pets.

Most pets never get loose and go missing. No one plans to have a break-in, house fire, or car accident; no one expects a gate left open or a freshly dug escape tunnel under the backyard fence. Licensing your pet is about providing it with protection in the rare event it does get lost. Licenses are $32 for spayed/neutered dogs and $68 for intact ones; $15 for spayed/neutered cats and $50 for intact ones.

The City of Winnipeg has Animal Services in place to be the facility where Winnipeggers can take stray dogs and the Winnipeg Humane Society through a service agreement as the facility where Winnipeggers can take stray cats.

Adorable adoptables Noah and Eva were found near the corner of Ellice and Wall
Photo credit: City of Winnipeg

• Animal Services re-unite lost pets with their owners.

The agency receives more than 12,000 calls for service a year. In 2014, thanks to mandatory dog licensing and the agency’s “Free Ride Home” program, Animal Services returned 671 dogs to their owners. 646 more were reunited with their owners by 311 operators without setting foot in the Animal Services facility.

• Animal Services’ Adoption Program allows dogs to be adopted into new families instead of being euthanized.

Animal Services Adoption/Volunteer Coordinator Lorna Verschoore with adoptive family
Photo credit: City of Winnipeg

• Animal Services funds emergency veterinary care for injured lost and abandoned animals and provides transportation to a veterinary facility.

• Animal Services funds spay and neuter programming, including the FIXIT grant program designed to encourage non-profit community organizations, veterinary clinics, animal hospitals and educational institutions to undertake quality programs to spay and neuter high volumes of cats at a low cost to the community.

• Animal Services provides a 24/7 emergency response service to police and fire fighters, attending house fires, car accidents, and police assists to remove and care for animals.

A matted cat pulled from the ashes by firefighters is transferred to Animal Services.
Photo credit: Winnipeg Free Press

Animal Services also uses revenue from the sale of pet licenses to:

• educate the public about responsible pet ownership
• pick up stray animals, including dogs that have attacked people.
• resolve neighbourhood disputes regarding animals

Visit www.winnipeg.ca/animalservices to license, adopt, or volunteer

Twas the Night Before Christmas

Posted by Kilcona Park Dog Club / in Information, News /

A CHRISTMAS GIFT FROM ROYAL LEPAGE PRIME AND KILCONA PARK DOG CLUB

Kilcona’s new waste bag dispensers were filled on Christmas Eve. This marks the launch of a year long pilot project to monitor and evaluate the impact that waste bag dispensers have on the rate of pick up in Kilcona Park.

In honour of the season and the occasion, KPDC offer a playful thank you to KPDC’s Platinum Sponsor, Royal LePage Prime’s Broker & Managing Partner, Michael Froese and Realtors Joie Page and Heather Vandenberg who came out to install the first bags in the park this afternoon. Royal LePage Prime helped fund the installation of the dispensers and is purchasing waste bags on an ongoing basis. KPDC wishes to thank Senior Park Foreman Brent Maxwell and park staff who will monitor the dispensers and refill them when necessary.