Rescue Dog Day to be Celebrated at Rocky Woods on Saturday

Four years ago, Judy Ambrose founded the annual Medfield Rescue Dog Day (an awareness initiative) after meeting Danny and Penny, two parent breeding dogs that were rescued from a puppy mill in Pennsylvania and brought to Massachusetts.

“The condition of those dogs was awful, I will never forget it,” said Ambrose, who, at the time, was a volunteer with the Medfield Animal Shelter and is now Executive Director of the Neponset Valley Humane Society. “When they opened the van, the smell was overwhelming.” 

The free event will take place on Saturday, Sept. 17 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Rocky Woods in celebration of national Puppy Mill Awareness Day.  http://www.awarenessday.org/

“Growing up in the area, I never knew what a puppy mill was and I was surprised that there so many in those beautiful barns of Lancaster County [Pennsylvania] so, because I didn’t know anything about them, I wanted to educate people who might not realize what a puppy mill is or who might not realize where that cute little puppy in a mall pet shop comes from,” said Ambrose.

She said the purpose of Medfield’s event – which more than 100 dogs attended last year – is to educate people about puppy mills, to show families a variety of rescue dogs they might not otherwise consider adopting, to celebrate dogs that have been rescued and are now in happy homes, and to introduce approximately 30 new adoptable dogs to possible forever families.

But the focus of the event is to raise awareness for the dogs, not necessarily on-site adoption.

“The point of this event is for people to see that there are so many dogs in rescue and it might take time to find the right dog with the right personality for the right family – because they all have their own personality, just like people – and it’s about introducing people to the huge variety of dogs, many purebreds from toy poodles to Saint Bernards, that are looking for a forever home,” said Ambrose, adding “Every adoption is a life saved.”

The day’s events will also include a gathering of now-adopted former rescue dogs, a presentation by the Patriot Siberian Husky Rescue of New England http://www.pshr.org/ at noon followed by a canine beauty and talent contest, prizes for the children, and free dog nail trims by Medfield House Call Veterinarian Dr. Heather Cochran.

For more information about the Medfield event, call Ambrose at 508-380-3100 or visit the Neponset Valley Humane Society’s Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/Neponset-Valley-Humane-Society/231463330197752?sk=wall&filter=12.