This year the MM meant a lot more to me than just a great event to promote owning a Mutt.  This year I had Princess on my mind every step of the way.  I even had to fight off the tears a few times. 

Princess won "Most Mature Dog" at the 2001 Mutt March.  She died 10 days later. I lost a daughter whom I had for only 30 days, and let me tell you, losing a canine companion that I had for almost 10 years has been a very comparable experience.  Although completely different situations, when it comes to thinking of lost loved ones, the feeligns are very similar.  I remember her birthday, I remember special things she enjoyed as we now do them without her, and now - in this time frame - I am remembering losing her. She had 15 long years here. We miss her still. ("we" btw = Emit & I, although lucky for him, I think Emit has forgotten!)

Rosie's take on this year's Mutt march:

I have to say I was more than a little disappointed with this year's MM. I thought it would be more organized than last year's event, especially since this was the second one, and it was better advertised this year. I almost felt bad for talking it up so big and for trying to get all my friends to come along. Don't get me wrong, I still think it's a great event with a grand purpose, however it was really missing something this year that it had last year. Exactly what I'm not sure though.

Granted.... I was just another participant, #75 to be exact.  So my opinion is just that... my opinion (feel free to share yours).  Last year the MM poop patrol walked in amongst us, so there was no worrying if Fido's doodoo was in fact going to be cleaned up.  This year, I didn't even see the poop patrol until we were better than 3/4 through the walk, and they were going the opposite direction.... as if they were backtracking, which made me a little uneasy about the pile or two my own pooch left in the middle of the road like a parade horse.

Last year, when we got to where we were going there were obvious choices stating us in the face.... take the dogs to the kiddie pool, go get a drink, get a photo buttion, etc, and the stage - although small, was the obvious center of attention.  There was little lag time, and the speakers brought good information to us.  In between speakers were little contests.  So there wasn't much lag time, and if I recall correctly, when there was a little lag time, I think someone even announced that we were taking a little break... I could be wrong though.  

And when it was over, it was announced. The downfall of course last year was that the MM started at K-Mart, and ended at the meat processing plant...... so we had to walk all the way back to our vehicles - which was a bit too much for our dogs on that particularly warm, sunny day.

This year, the upside was that the MM started at Alaskaland and walked in a big 'circle', however, when we got back to the park, it was unclear where to enter.  By the time we got there, there were people there, and maybe earlier in the walk there were more obvious signs, however a friend of ours who was behind us got separated from the group, and missed out on everything except the walk itself. 

She arrived a little late, and for the love of her mutt with fading health she pushed him in a shopping cart (no easy feat I imagine), wanting to include him in the day anyhow, but by the time she got to that entry point, there were no indications where to go & the signs had all been picked up already, so naturally she took her pooch back to the starting point, the parking lot, where I found her with pooch in truck ready to go home, leaving us a note to tell us she had missed us all together. 

We didn't get to celebrate our mutts together as a group, and we even missed out on getting any photos of that unique Mutt March Taxi! Some may say 'no biggie', I say, "dammit - we wanted this to be a group thang". Well... I did anyhow.

When we did re-enter Alaskaland fromt he back side, there were no real indications of "whet next" except the pavillion in the distance with a sign displating the Mutt Matcher's motto "Mutts - The Best of Everything".  I can see how one could miss much of it all together, not knowing what to look for. 

There were some sun awnings set up leading one to assume they were 'booths' of some sort, however I still don't know what some of them were or who they were representing. These Items of Interest were scattered out a bit, and people were in general everywhere milling about with their dogs.

We aparantly arrived in between events, which were scribbled on a small whiteboard at the pavillion.  However you walked through all of these other 'things' to get to the pavillion, where there was people food and drinks and some picnic tables.  Little did we know however that setting there would risk hearing loss. 

Again, to many... "no biggie", but to me, I thought my friends and I and our mutts were going to set in the shade and relax a little, not settle in and go deaf when the announcer next spoke.  And the food for people was even at the back of that!  Not earth shaking, but could have been better marked or speakers maybe better placed, or in general the "center" of attention being at the front or center of point of arrival, not in the very back! And possibly having the food be in booths or under those sun awnings up closer to the real center, or around the demonstration arena, or where the poeple are mostly hanging out!!

The MM started a little after 12 noon.  The whiteboard labeled, Demonstration Agenda, had demonstrations starting at 1pm. 

By the time we finished our leg of the MM, we had missed the first three events and it was a good half hour before the Ft. Wainwright demonstration started.  Even though we got a lot of photos of that demonstration, I couldn't hear a word he said except when he'd holler out the commaned for the dog.

When that event finished, our group was looking more than a little tuckered out.  They waited a while, maybe for something else to happen, but there was nothign to keep us interested. Kat, St, Bernie, her Mom, Mary, and their dawgs called it a day and left. 

I would have left too, but I wanted so badly to get more out of this event, and I wanted to get good photos for this album.... so Joe & I stuck around a while longer.  Not much though... when still nothing was happening after about another half hour, we decided to leave.  We were about half way to the entrance of Alaskaland and in the distance I could hear they were preparing to call the raffle winners. 

Well, we didn't buy anyraffle tickets, but Bernie & Mary had.... and I hadn't thought of if before they left.  They had asked if they needed to be present to win, and were told "no".... however they didn't ask for any information on the backs of the raffle tickets.... so how would they be contacted if they won?  We don't know that one yet, but I can only assume that since they left, they're SOL if one of their tickets did win.

And NO contests this year??? What's up with that?  Not enough sponsors for prizes?  Or is that what the raffle was.  Sell raffle tickets to win prizes instead of having contests for prizes.  Why not do both next year. The contests for Macho Dog, Muttliest Mutt, most Mature, Stupid Pet Trick, Tiniest Mutt, etc were not only a lot of fun last year, but they didn't take long and they held a captive audience in between events.  I'm curious as to why they didn't do them this year.

An upside from last year was the brilliant idea to bring the dogs from the Animal Shelter that are needing homes and to mark them with bright yellow bandanas!  That was amazing, and sad to see!  Amazing for the dogs, because they got out of the shelter for the afternoon!!  And very sad to see them with their yellow bandanas, knowing what they were going 'home' to at the end of the day, and knoing that some may not see another MuttMarch if they don't find homes.

Last year they offered photo buttons (last years button) for $3 each, with a kewl "celebrate" border pre printed on the photo, and althought the photo was very small and the buttons fall apart, the price was right!   This year they offered the buttons for $5 each with the small photo but without the added "Celebrate" pre printed border (so regular size photos would have been better.

Last year we stayed till the very end, even though we still had to walk back to KMart.  This year we left early out of boredom and annoyance.  Hmm.... we'll see what next year brings!

I would not go so far as to say it was a waste of time, because I did enjoy being with my friends and with our mutts. I always enjoy anything I can do with my dogs.  I like that it boosts awareness and the proceeds go to support the Animal Shelter. And I personally enjoy seeing all the dogs and their owners interacting like that.  However, I think it may be more difficult next year to convince this group to gather again for the 3rd Annual Mutt March if this is what I have to offer them again.

So why don't you volunteer to help make it better Rosie?  I did, thank you very much!!  Last year I spoke to the poeple who started the Mutt March and gave my name and contact information to volunteer to create their website, as well as the Animal Shelter to create one for them, and offered assistance in any print work, graphics, layout, etc that needed to be done. 

A few months ago when someone finally called and asked if I still wanted to volunteer, I reiterated to what capacity I could help and what tasks I could help with, and was told, "Oh... ok, thank you." and that was that. Not a, "we'll call you back", not a reference number, no indication that I could be of any benefit to them whatsoever.  However, do a search for the Mutt March, Mutt March Fairbanks, Mutt Matchers, or similar searches, and what do you find??

So MUTT MATCHERS - Wouldn't you like a website or something that anyone can visit any time??  Something to promote your purpose and projects all year round?? Something the Animal Control website and the Animal Shelter website could link to (neither of which had ANY mention of the Mutt March at all)??   Call Me or better yet... drop me an email right now with info for me to contact someone in charge of this stuff!!!!

Do YOU have ideas, comments, complaints, suggestions, etc, for the 3rd Annual Mutt March in 2003?  If so, take a moment to let me know and I will be sure the right people get them!    feedback form