OOLA-la! Don’t Forget Pet Pics Sunday

— by Lin McNulty —

Sunday, December 1, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Next to Pawki’s:

Celebrate the holidays and support Orcas Off-Leash Area with a picture of your pet.

Since the Orcas Off-Leash Area (OOLA) dog park opened at Mount Baker and North Beach Roads in 1998, the Sheriff’s Department reported to the OOLA Board that fewer dogs have been found running loose.

Dogs and dog owners both love that playground, and for some of the same reasons. Not only do dogs get to run like crazy in a contained, safe area, but owners and dogs alike get to socialize.

What the dogs don’t realize, along with perhaps some of the owners, is that there is an annual cost associated with keeping the off-leash area operational.

Coming up on December 1 is the biggest fundraiser of the year for OOLA. Bring your pet (not just dogs, mind you; all pets are welcome) into the space next to Pawki’s at 199 Main Street between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. for a holiday-themed photo session. No appointment is necessary; stop by whenever your pet is ready. Cost is by donation.

Photographer Damian Stark will be there to snap a photo of you and your pet—or just your pet, your choice—and you walk out with an 8×10 glossy print on the spot! Within a couple of days you will receive an email link where you can download digital files of the photo. Stacy from Pawkis will also be doing dog nail clipping for a minimum $5 donation at the same time and place.

The dog park used to be located near the Animal Protection Society on Hope Lane. When the land on which it was situated was listed for sale, a few generous donors contributed start-up costs to get it moved before the land sold and and there was nowhere to go. The existing location is rented from the Port of Orcas.

Visitors to the island often express their appreciation for the safe, fenced-in area in which to exercise their dogs. The park is open daily from dawn to dusk, and most of the time there is at least one dog enjoying the freedom to run at will.

Although this is not the only fundraiser for OOLA, it is the largest. This summer, for the first time, the Board participated in a bake sale (for humans) at Bite of Orcas, which proved to be quite successful. This next year, for the first time,  Islanders Bank has invited OOLA to mount a display in their lobby during January, February, and March.

The cost to operate the dog park is approximately $3,000 per year and includes rent, pet waste bags, insurance (the largest expense), 52 weeks of garbage removal, mowing in summer and wood chips in winter, along with hand sanitizer dispensers within the park.

OOLA Board President Eros Belliveau says he expects 50 photos to be snapped. Ask your dog if s/he wants to be there; chances are s/he can’t wait to immortalized for the holidays.