The field had a thick crust of ice, but the dogs didn’t seem to mind. They were after treats and nothing could stop them.
Despite less than optimal ground conditions, National Service Dogs got a strong turnout for their Easter Egg Hunt for Dogs event Friday morning at Centennial Park. Close to 100 dogs showed up, their humans in tow.
The event was a fundraiser for an organization that trains dogs to assist families with autistic children, and as aids in a host of therapeutic settings.
Andrea Hruska brought her French bulldog “Tank” to the event, which had an 11 a.m. start time.
“It’s a good cause, and the dogs have so much fun,” Hruska said. “The weather didn’t hold us back. This is our third year doing it, and we didn’t want to miss it because of a bit of ice.”
Event organizer Judy Frank was pleased with the strong support, saying participation was slightly reduced because of the ice-storm that hit Guelph and area on Thursday and into Friday morning.
“This means there will be more prizes for those who did come out,” she said.
Peter Gilmour’s Great Dame “Suzy” towered above the other pooches that scoured and sniffed out dog treats concealed in plastic Easter egg containers.
“This is our first time,” said Gilmour. “Suzy is meeting lots of new dogs and having a great time. This is all about her, not us.”
The field started out littered with hundreds of eggs, but by the time the hunt was over, dog owners took most of them away in paper egg cartons. Other dog treats were passed out at the event, provided by sponsors.
