A bright and sunny Sunday morning at Sylvan Park heralded the beginning of the highly anticipated Redlands Chamber of Commerce’s 5K Dog Jog. A unique fund-raising event that the city has held for the past couple of years, it is an opportunity for locals to come together and exercise around some of Redlands’ most iconic scenery, such as the Orange Blossom trail and the nearby Redlands University. It’s also a great opportunity for dog owners to socialize with one-another while bonding with their four-legged friends and others within the community as well. Proceeds from the event went to both the Redlands Chamber of Commerce and The Redlands Animal Shelters.
Before the official start, the air was alive with palpable excitement from the many pups and their families. People of all ages, younger and older, with a multitude of different dog breeds; from golden retrievers, to dachshunds and everything else in between, were geared up to go. The MC gave the signal, and off they went! Either running or walking, the goal was to finish the race and reach the end. Once finished, participants were met by a group of young volunteers awaiting their arrival with water and treats as a reward for both the hard working doggies and their owners.
In addition to the race itself, there were couple service booths set up devoted to both animal obedience and safety,The first was Pawsitively Mannered, a program created by Ms. Debbie Bradford, dedicated to the importance of dog training, while the other was a booth set up by the Redlands Police and Animal Control Department in order to provide any helpful and necessary information to any who might need it in regards to animals and wildlife. Owners also could grab a drink at the Starbucks vendor and go take their pup to receive a massage after.
Once the participants began trickling back into the area, crossing the finish lines and making their way back into the common area, there began the Redland’s Police K9 demonstration. In a clear, taped off area among the trees, two officers began a joint showcase of their respective canine partners, Duke and Sonny.
Officer Joseph Valdivia’s partner Duke; a large German Shepherd, kicked off the educational show by displaying a few of the dog’s trained abilities. As a police dog officer, Duke has been extensively taught to sniff out illegal drugs, as well as help the police locate and apprehend criminals. Valdivia demonstrated his four-legged partner’s impressive grip and intense concentration, having the canine bite and hold when commanded, into a heavily padded cushion; going as far as to lift up the dog and whirl him around, showing everyone just how strong Duke’s bite is.
Officer Jamieson Liu’s partner Sonny; a smaller Springer Spaniel, took a turn in showing the audience his particular skills. This canine specializes in narcotics detection; Liu explained that Sonny focuses on four different types of illegal drugs, and is able to follow their scent in places that might be hard to reach, such as a car fender. Sonny enthralled all with his remarkable quickness and ease in discovering a bag that the police officer had hidden earlier.
Once the informative demonstration had finished, the costume contest started, one of the conclusory activities of the day. Pets came out in true Halloween fashion. Dressed as hot dogs, princesses, and more onto the gazebo stage, displaying their themed garb and posing for many pictures. While each costume was creative and undeniably adorable, the worthy winners were deemed a “Stranger Things” group costume, in which the owners had also decided to dress up for the occasion as well and match with their pups. Chris Alvarez, the current Executive Director in Redland’s Chamber of Commerce spoke of the benefits of this special gathering, “It’s just a unique event… It brings together a lot of cooperation partnerships within the city and nonprofits, and with the community.”
Juliana Foster; A Redlands Chamber Council member and lover of dogs and animals alike, was also present at the event. In which she even got to hold a role as one of the judges for the puppy costume contest. The Redlands Council members work closely with local animal shelters to plan this event, where not only individuals can come and get some exercise with their furry-friends on a beautiful day, but it’s also a place where they can be put in contact with volunteers dedicated to animal safety, grooming, and training. When commenting on the crowd Council Member Foster commented “… they all just have so much fun and the dogs get so excited.”
Volunteers working with the local shelters were also present. Volunteer Rick Padon, who works alongside Code Red; a nonprofit canine rescue company, who’s volunteers work with shelters throughout the Inland Empire to rescue lost, or unwanted dogs and find them loving homes from Redlands to Canada. Code Red volunteers work tirelessly to help our four-legged friends. Volunteers even go even so far, that the organization has fundraised money to help pay for evasive surgery for sick dogs. Padon commented “After surgery it’s cheeseburgers, milkshakes, and beach trips all the way.” If you would like more information regarding dog rescue you can visit their website at www.coderedk9crew.org or follow them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/CODEREDK9CREW/