Psychedelic dogs and their humans cosplay

The invitation to the dog adoption event, “WoofStock,” at Brandi Fenton Park on Saturday must have read: dress psychedelic! There was tie dye everywhere. There were even contests for best psychedelic dog costume, best psychedelic adult costume and best psychedelic child costume. I don’t know what old-style hippie shirts have to do with dog placement, but it added color to the day.

It was, like the event last October, a chance for people to adopt dogs and/or buy stuff for dogs, like homemade gourmet dog treats or a treadmill.

For others it was a chance to show off their animals so I will start with a round-up of a few owners and their dogs.

-The Elton John dog with his big sunglasses, on the left, is named Pal and was available for adoption through an agency called “Hope”.

-The man in the center brought his beagles, but notice the woman behind him: hippie t-shirt! This section of the park was renamed “Adoption Alley” for the day. There seemed to be fewer dogs, especially young ones or puppies, available. Maybe it is the time of year. Based on what I’ve seen on the animal video website, Explore, more puppies are born in Spring and Summer than in winter.

-And on the right is a woman and her dogs, color coordinated with black/white check scarves along with another young woman doing the tie-dye thing. The park bench beside them reads: “Pugs Not Drugs”.

And there were more…but not all were following the dress code for the day.

It’s called a “Zoomie” and it’s a dog treadmill. Watching a “test drive” on it, below, was fun. While the owners and the man selling the treadmill were enthusiastically encouraging the doggo to walk, the dog was obviously just trying to figure it out.

And what would any dog event be without a veterinarian or two. If this were the real psychedelic era back in the late 1960s that hand sign would mean “Peace”. I’m not sure what it means today. Maybe it’s a “V” for Veterinary?

There was some irony in these next two groups. On the left in the Reptile Rescue tent, an albino Burmese python wraps itself around a handler. I certainly hope that it doesn’t escape. In Florida Burmese pythons, bought as little pets, grew to enormously long and strong animals, reaching as much as 20 feet in length. Outgrowing their homes, they escaped or were dumped into the swamps where they began to multiply, endangering native creatures and humans, too. Florida now offers a reward for capturing a Burmese python — dead or alive — and leads a big snake hunt every year.

Okay. Here comes the irony: The Humane Society of Tucson also had a booth, not all that far from the Reptile Rescue tent. I was glad to see them, but immediately that unfortunate sacrifice of small pets by the Humane Society to a Phoenix reptile seller leaped to mind. Their new CEO is doing a great job and their booth was attractive and attracting people.

Apparently this event happens every six months, but you do not have to wait to adopt or foster a dog or cat. In addition to the Humane Society, Pima Animal Care Center (PACC) has pets for adoption year ’round.

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