By Don Bradley
The temperature was mid-50s and a wind whipped the autumn leaves.
It was cold.
Well, for human beings anyway and we all know how they can be. But this day was for the dogs, and the weather on November 25 was perfect for the unveiling of the new “Barks & Rec” dog park at KC Pet Project.
Frank, Britney Sue, Alexi, Oboe, Ajax, Domingo and a few others came down from the big shelter up on the hill for the event –always good to get out of the crate– and gave the new agility course a good going over.
They ran and jumped, climbed and scaled to “Who Let the Dogs Out.” Tongues out and tails wagging.
The dog apparatus, donated by Westlake Hardware, looks a lot like playsets you find for kids in a lot of backyards. Treated lumber, ramps and stairs.
The hope, said Westlake marketing director Alicia Weber, is that it will offer dogs play, exercise and mental stimulation beyond the short walks they get.
“We’re proud to donate this playground and excited to see the joy it will bring pets while awaiting their forever homes,” Weber told the “leash-cutting” gathering, adding that KC Pet Project represents the best of Kansas City.
Westlake did not divulge the cost.
As the only animal shelter serving all of Kansas City, KC Pet Project cares for about 16,000 dogs and cats each year, averaging an intake of 40-60 new dogs and cats every day.
Always crowded, always loud.
“Shelters can be stressful places, especially for high-energy dogs,” Kate Meghji, chief executive officer for KC Pet Project, said in thanking Westlake.
She’s not one to miss an opportunity.
“You know, when you leave you can take a dog with you.”
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