Interested Contest Participants, Vendors, Sponsors and Volunteers Can
Now Register to be Involved by Calling 708-788-8100
BERWYN, Ill., Feb. 14 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Berwyn Development
Corporation (BDC) and the City of Berwyn are teaming up with PAWS Chicago,
DockDogs, Animal Care League, the Brookfield Zoo, VCA Berwyn Animal
Hospital and Tails in Need NYC to host the second annual Great American
Mutt Show (http://www.muttshow.com) for the Chicagoland area. The event will take
place in Berwyn, IL on Saturday, May 17th, 2008 (10am-3pm) at Morton West
High School, located at 2400 Home Ave, Berwyn, IL 60402. Also included at
the same location, in parallel to the Chicagoland Great American Mutt Show,
will be a two-day Dock Dogs (http://www.dockdogs.com) regional agility competition
(May 17th from 9am-5pm and May 18th from 10am-2pm). Participants, vendors,
sponsors and volunteers who wish to be part of the show and/or the agility
event can register through the Berwyn Development Corporation by calling
708-788-8100.
Chicagoland Great American Mutt Show
The Chicagoland Great American Mutt Show will feature a parade of
adoptable pets from local shelters and a wide variety of
entertainment-based competitions for mixed breeds, rescue and all other
dogs. Sponsored classes and presentations on new pet products, grooming
tips, training techniques, nutrition advice, and proper pet care will also
be organized and held onsite by sponsors. At the end of the event, a Best
in Show will be selected by a panel of local celebrity judges and awarded
the grand prize, which will consist of gift certificates, pet products and
a cash reward. All dogs are welcome to enter the show and are eligible to
win the titles listed below. However, only mixed-breeds who win the titles
below can enter the Best in Show grand finale competition. The contests
currently open for registration include the following (may be subject to
change or merging pending sign-up results):
- Best Lap Dog Over - Looks Most Like - Crowd Favorite
50 Lbs. Another Animal - Longest Tongue/
- Looks Most Like Owner (fox, bear...) Most Comical
- Most Creative Pet Trick - Most Unusual Bark - Friendliest Dog
- Best Kisser - Best Smile - Smallest Big Dog
- Best Catcher - Best Listener
- Highest Jumper - "A Face Only A Mother
- Most Unusual Markings Could Love" Contest
- Unusual Mixture - Best Dressed
Dock Dogs
The Dock Dogs regional competition will involve a mounted dock and an
above-ground water pool with two days (May 17th and May 18th) of wave
times, including: big air, speed retrieve, extreme vertical and divisional
finals. Competitions will take place from 9am to 5pm on May 17th and from
10am to 2pm on May 18th. All new jumpers are welcome. Interested
participants can register for this specific event at http://www.dockdogs.com or by
calling 708-788-8100. Onsite registration is subject to availability.
More information and pictures of the Chicagoland Great American Mutt
Show and the Dock Dogs competition can be found online at:
http://www.muttshow.com. The show is open to all Chicagoland community members as
well as nation-wide dog lovers who wish to be part of the event.
"The Chicagoland Great American Mutt Show is a very unique event, which
helps make our community stand out from others," said Tom Benson, President
of the Berwyn Development Corporation (BDC). "With all the recent media
coverage Berwyn has received through our ongoing outreach and marketing
efforts, and as the Chamber of Commerce organization for the area, we
strive to empower positive community bonds. Our goal is also to continue
pushing our momentum and using these types of events as leverage to keep
the spotlight on Berwyn. The Mutt Show is not just a great family event, it
also generates positive attention for the area and at the same time
promotes a good cause," he added.
In addition to fun and entertainment, the event is designed to promote
no-kill animal shelters in the Chicagoland area as well as encourage and
educate the public on animal rescue, pet adoption, neutering/spaying,
responsible pet ownership and animal welfare.
"Over 19,701 pets were killed in shelters in 2006 in Chicago alone,
mostly because they didn't have a home. Nationwide, nine million pets are
killed yearly, which roughly breaks down to 575 each hour! It is a tragic
problem but it is a problem that has a proven solution, which we plan to
address at the Great American Mutt Show. By offering free and low cost spay
and neuter services to those who can't afford it, by educating the public
on proper pet care and the benefits of spaying and neutering and through
innovative adoption programs we can eliminate the overpopulation problem
and become a no-kill nation. One by one, together we can save lives and end
the killing of homeless pets in our communities. You can help us by
spreading the word about the PAWS Chicago Lurie Family Spay/Neuter Clinic
at 3516 W. 26th Street, Chicago, IL 60623. Call 773-521-7729 for more
information or to make an appointment. Check out our website at
http://www.pawschicago.org to volunteer and for adoptable pets. Also be sure to
visit us at the Chicagoland Great American Mutt Show where our
representatives will be available to answer questions on adoption,
spaying/neutering and proper pet care," said Susan Robinson, Community
Outreach Manager of PAWS Chicago.
The Great American Mutt Show was started in New York City by prominent
interior designers and animal lovers Bunny Williams and Kitty Hawks, who a
few years ago founded Tails In Need to promote mixed breed dogs and pet
adoptions. Now a nation-wide movement, the Great American Mutt Show
promotes pet adoption and animal welfare.
"There are 68 million dogs in America, of which 20 million are
pure-bred. That means there are 48 million adorable mixed breed dogs in our
country, and they deserve to have recognition. This show applauds all the
mixed breed and shelter dogs and their families who are rarely in the
spotlight. We believe these events help to inspire Americans to 'think
first about adoption' when considering a new pet," said Kitty Hawks,
Co-Founder of Tails In Need, Inc.
The Great American Mutt Show in Chicagoland was made possible by the
Berwyn Development Corporation through permission and approval of name
usage rights by NYC-based Tails in Need. The Berwyn Development Corporation
(BDC) is a non-profit economic development and chamber of commerce
organization located in Berwyn, IL and includes approximately 200 business
and individual members.
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