K9COLA
K9COLA NEWS
June 2013
Join Our Mailing List

Volunteers Needed
Volunteers are need to staff the K9COLA booth at the Cedar Rapids Farmers Market this summer!

It runs from 7:30 to Noon on the first and third Saturdays of June, July, August and September.

Contact Jill, our volunteer coordinator, for more information.

A special thanks goes out to a couple of our newer volunteers for helping out at our first Downtown Farmers Market. Jennifer, Emily and Sara---Thank you so much on behalf of all our board of directors. We couldn't have done the market without you. Another special thank goes out to Steve S. for coming down and helping Kate and Marie set up. You saved them a lot of time and effort!

 

Visit us on Facebook!
Facebook

Fido's Freedom 5K
Cedar Rapids Animal Care and Control has been invited to participate in the 30th anniversary of Cedar Rapids Freedom Festival with Fido's Freedom 5K, a fun run/walk that will be held Saturday, June 22nd, along with the DockDogs event on the Kirkwood College Campus. The 5K will include a Pet Expo with pet supply and retail vendors, food vendors, music, pet contests, fly ball agility and nose work demonstra-
tions, and loads of fun for the whole family - including Fido! Read More

You can get the registration form
here. Registration is also available on-site the day of the event beginning at 8 am.

 

Bark in the Park
Bring your dog to the Cedar Rapids Kernels ballpark on Sunday, June 9 for Bark in the Park. All proceeds from the doggie tickets will benefit the Cedar Valley Humane Society. Read More

Flood
 
See a few pictures of the flood at Cheyenne Park
here.

Bark's Best Places to Work
For 16 years, The Bark has been the voice of modern canine life, chronicling dog culture, exploring the many facets of the canine-human bond and delighting in the joy that dogs bring to our lives. We have watched dogs enter into our homes, become part of our families and, now, bring their warmth and love into our workplaces. For that reason, we celebrate the fact that dogs are now our co-workers, our cube mates and our office confidantes with Bark's Best Places to Work presented by Zuke's! Read More

 

How to Spoil a Dog Park
Jake's visits to the dog park ended when he bit off part of a Bulldog's ear. Jake, a black Lab-Pit Bull mix, belonged to a first-time dog owner who reacted to his frequent aggressive behavior by saying, "Oh, Jakey, we don't do those things" in a high, sing-song voice. Jake's owner paid the $1000-plus bill for the Bulldog's surgery but the incident reflected the biggest problem with dog parks -and it isn't the dogs. Read More

 

K9 Acres Opens June 8!

Join the Cedar Rapids Parks & Recreation Department and K9COLA for the leash cutting ceremony at the new K9 Acres Off-Leash Dog Park in Squaw Creek Park, 5200 Golf Course Road, on Saturday, June 8 at 10:00 a.m.

There will be treats and prizes for canines and humans. The Cedar Rapids Kennel Association will have a mini agility course set up. Other local dog-related vendors will be there with booths to answer your questions. We will have our last Spring/Summer recall test beginning at 11 am. We will also be preregistering people for K9Splash! (bring proof of vaccinations) as well as answering questions, and selling some awesome new shirts!

 

For more information or questions please email [email protected].

 

K9 Acres Trash Pickup

With two parks now, we need to make sure the trash gets collected in both places, so we can keep them both looking clean. Here are the available dates. Please tell me what dates you want, and which park you would like. Thank you for all of your generous help in making two beautiful parks our four-legged friends can enjoy!

Cheyenne Off-Leash Park (subject to park re-opening)
  • June 19, 26
  • July 3, 6, 10, 13, 17, 20, 24, 27, 31
  • August 3, 7, 10, 14, 17, 21, 24, 28, 31

K9 Acres Off-Leash Park
  • June 12, 15, 19, 22, 26, 29
  • July 3, 6, 10, 13, 17, 20, 24, 27, 31
  • August 3, 7, 10, 14, 17, 21, 24, 28, 31

Contact Jill to offer your assistance.

 

A Dog Treat Recipe
 
We are accepting homemade dog treats and other crafts to be sold at the Farmers Markets. If you bake dog treats, please include a recipe or list of ingredients.Here is a recipe you might like to use. And here are more ideas for treats!

Banana Mutt cookies

1 1/2 c. mashed ripe bananas (about 2 1/2 bananas)
1/2 tsp. vanilla
3 c. oats
1/2 c. chopped peanuts
1/4 c. applesauce

 

Preheat oven to 350. Combine all ingredients and stir thoroughly. Drop by spoonfuls onto an ungreased baking sheet. Press flat with a fork. Bake for 15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack and store in an airtight container. Makes about 20 cookies.

Volunteer for K9Splash!

K9Splash!

It's that time of year to start making final plans for K9Splash! In order for the event to run smoothly we need your help! Over the course of two days we will need approximately 150 volunteers.

 

We have a variety of different jobs available for the two-day event. If you would like to volunteer, we would like a commitment from you for at least one shift on either Saturday, August 24 or Sunday, August 25. To volunteer, please send an email to [email protected], including the day and shift and job you would like to work. Also indicate whether you need a t-shirt and the size required. T-shirts are available in S to 3X.

 

The times for the different shifts are:

 

9:30 to 12:00 (Help with setup). Help with early morning setup

10:00 to 12:30

12:00 to 3:00

2:30 to 5:30 (Help with cleanup)

 

For each shift we need to meet the following needs.

 

Set-up (4) - Help with tent set-up, move tables to the appropriate booths, set up the entrance area, and whatever else we need to do before the gates open at 10:30. Then move to one of the following assigned locations at 10:30.

 

K9COLA Table (2) - Located outside the pool area. This table is responsible for volunteer check-in as well as answering any questions about the two off-leash parks in Cedar Rapids.

 

Registration Table (3) - Take registration forms from individuals who did not pre-register. Check vaccinations. Take money for entrance fee.

 

Dog Holders (4) - Hold dogs on leashes while the owners are registering and completing any paperwork.

 

Pre-registration Table (2) - Check in individuals and dogs that have pre-registered for the event at Ambroz. Verify vaccinations if required.

 

Entrance Gate (2) - Verify all dogs have zip ties. Count individuals who enter the gate. Verify that all individuals have signed the waiver. Guard the gate so dogs do not escape.

 

Exit Gate (2) - Guard the gate so dogs do not escape. Hand out goodie bags and thank participants for coming.

 

T-shirt Table in Pool Area (2) - Sell K9Splash! t-shirts and other K9Splash! related items. There is a possibility of getting wet when dogs shake near the table.

 

Pool Walkers (6-10) - Walk the pool area and watch for aggressive dogs. Remind individuals to clean up after their dogs. Remind people not to swim. There is a possibility of getting wet when dogs shake near you.

 

Bathroom Door Guards (2) - Guard bathroom entrances to make sure no dogs escape the pool area. There is a possibility of getting wet when dogs shake near you.

 

For helping us, we want to give you the following:

 

  • Work one shift - Free t-shirt (if needed). (If you still have one from previous years we would ask you save us the expense of a t-shirt and reuse the one from the previous year)
  • Work two shifts - Free t-shirt (if needed), plus one free admission for your dog to the event.
  • Work three shifts - Free t-shirt (if needed), plus one free admission for your dog and a coupon for a free sandwich, chips and drink from our Hy-Vee vendor.

 

The K9COLA Board wishes to thank you for your continued support of K9Splash! whether you volunteer or just come and enjoy the day with your dog!

 

Cheyenne Flooding Update
 

As I write this article, we have yet to see the crest of the flood and know the extent of the damage at Cheyenne. If you follow us on Facebook, I'm sure you've seen the pictures and can only imagine what the park will look like once the waters recede.

 

I ask that even if the water is gone, please do NOT use Cheyenne until the City has given its okay to do so. I also ask that you have patience with this process. Personally I would have loved for K9 Acres to open early with no interruption to off-leash use in Cedar Rapids, but the park was not quite ready. In situations like these we have to remember safety first. Things will go slower than you want them to, but it is for a good reason. Once K9 Acres is open please feel free to use that park like you did Cheyenne. The City will have a lot on its plate once the water is gone, but we will work with them in regard to Cheyenne. Please continue to watch our website, Facebook page, and newsletter for updates. On a final note---I want to thank everyone who helped with the restoration of Cheyenne over the last five years. Your efforts were not in vain. Thursday May 30th was a hard day for me as I watched the water rise at Cheyenne. I felt like everything we'd worked so hard for was about to be washed away, but I was wrong. Although I don't know why this had to happen to us again, it did. So like the rest of Cedar Rapids we will pick up the pieces and fix what Mother Nature broke. Thank you volunteers!

 

Marie Appel

K9COLA Board of Directors Chairman


P.S. In case Cheyenne is open by this date, I want to make sure everyone is aware that the BMX Group (our neighbors) will be hosting the Iowa State and Regional Qualifying Event June 15 & 16, so expect a lot of extra traffic!

 

Thanks again for your interest in our dog parks, and we'll look forward to seeing you at the park!

Sincerely,
K9COLA Board of Directors
[email protected]