The
first Canine Caper, held April 17 under sunny skies at the Kootenai National
Wildlife Refuge in Boundary County, was a huge success, with 114 people and 83
dogs taking part in the fun.
April 19, 2004
The
first Canine Caper, held April 17 under sunny skies at the Kootenai National
Wildlife Refuge in Boundary County, was a huge success, with 114 people and 83
dogs taking part in the fun.
The event raised $820 for Second Chance Animal Adoption.
Jack Douglas, who helped organize the event, said he was pleased with the large turnout, especially since it sprang from an idea that “just came to me one night.”
“I was thinking about Bloomsday and the Kootenai River Run, and just felt we needed another race for people, and then I got to thinking that it would be good if we could raise money for Second Chance as well,” he said. “So I threw the two ideas together late one night several months ago.”
He and local runner Jim Cadnum worked out the details, and the Canine Caper was born.
The run started at refuge headquarters and wound five kilometers along the West Side Road amid some of the most beautiful scenery in Boundary County. Most entrants ran with their dogs, but a few ran by themselves. Some even “borrowed” dogs awaiting homes at Second Chance to accompany them on the run.
Nearly everyone who commented on the race afterwards was impressed by the positive feeling they enjoyed, and on the way the dogs all seemed to love the event.
“I think the dogs were all beaming inside over the chance to walk with their best friends in a public setting,” Douglas said.
The race wasn’t timed and no tee shirt was offered this year, but organizers are already planning for Canine Caper 2005, hoping to triple the number of entrants. He welcomes comments from those who took part, and plans to offer a tee shirt next year.
Local runners are now gearing up for Bloomsday, which takes place May 2 in Spokane, and the Kootenai River Run, to be held June 12. Entry forms for both races are available at various businesses throughout the community.
Douglas extended his thanks to County Commissioners and the sheriffs office for allowing the race to be run on a county road and for providing protection to the people and dogs on the course, to Jim Cadnum and other local runners who helped organize the run and prepare the course, to Alice Miller and Debbie Richardson of Second Chance Animal Adoption for helping spread the word about the run, to the Bonners Ferry Masonic Lodge and Shrine Club for providing security and manning aid stations, Boundary Volunteer Ambulance for being on standby, to Dr. Marty Becker, who worked behind the scenes and donated a dozen autographed books as prizes, and his wife, Teresa, who helped judge the event, along with Cassandra Rutherford/Eckberg, Jenni Dougherty and April Douglas, to Sandy Ennis, who helped with vehicle parking, the Boundary County Probation Department, who helped with course security, and to Aaron Drew and the staff at the Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge, who welcomed runners and made the most beautiful course in Boundary County available for the event.
“We can all be proud of this event and the way the community came together for a good cause,” Douglas said. “This is the real spirit of our community, and we hope to build on that spirit in the years ahead. I cannot thank the race helpers enough. Without them, Canine Caper would never have happened. Next year, we will do even better.”