Inaugural Howl-O-Ween set for Sunday

Since the Friends of the Animals (FOTA) opened in June, local philanthropist and sixth-grader Ben Golden has wanted to work with the local adoption house to hold a fundraiser.

Two months ago, he began hosting brainstorming sessions with his sisters and friends. The result is the inaugural Howl-O-Ween Kid Fest at Baton Rouge Beach (Map it!). The event kicks off noon this Sunday, Oct. 20.

Though the average age of the organizers is nine years old, this dog day afternoon offers canine connoisseurs everything from a dog agility course and costume contest to a (slobbery) kissing booth and even a dog yoga.

Fourth-grader Ainsley Bernhard is even hosting a Benefits of Fostering booth to arm kids with the knowledge they need to entice their parents to bring a furry foster friend.

Since kids planned the event for kids, their dogs and families, the festival includes food, games, hair wraps and music from David St. Romain and The Drew Danzy Band.

“The kids have done a remarkable job,” says FOTA founder Paula Schoen. “They have a real interest in this and have worked hard to see it through. They’ve been making signs and coming up with activities. It makes me feel very hopeful about our youth and future of animals.“

This ambitious project is hardly Ben Golden’s first foray into fundraising. As a third grader, he ran a school-wide supply drive for shelter animals, when FOTA was based at the city shelter.

“I was worried about the shelter animals in living concrete cages,” he says.

Convening a committee of other kids and a few parents with shared the vision has resulted in a larger-scale effort. To Schoen, Howl-O-Ween is about more than just making money to benefit FOTA’s programs.

“It’s a fun day for kids and the community,” she says. “Sometimes, shelter dogs have the stigma of not being as good as other dogs. This event gives us a chance to showcase shelter dogs and show the public that they can be beautiful, well behaved and good with children.”

For more information on the event, click here.

These are among the great FOTA dogs that are available for adoption this weekend at Howl-O-Ween:

While Jake is probably purebred yellow lab, he definitely has heart of gold. This three-year-old is such a love; he is content just sitting next to his owner. This super laid-back guy loves other dogs’ companionship and is great with cats too. He just wants a buddy to go for walks or trips to the dog park. He is superb on a leash and never pulls. Unfortunately, Jake is a very sensitive boy who has a thunderstorm fear and will need to take an inexpensive medicine daily for anxiety. For more information, contact his foster at (770) 377-6332 or [email protected].

Bella is a three-year-old, eight-pound Pekingese. She’s a calm girl who would be happy to spend the day lazing in an owner’s lap. Although she is precious, Bella is a work in progress. While crate-trained, she can be very protective of her crate, and she’s not completely housebroken. Bella needs a loving owner who will give her the time and attention. Once her owner becomes established as the pack leader and takes Bella on daily walks to focus her mental and physical energy, she can relax and become a wonderful dog. Bella is best suited to live in a home without children and to be an only pet. For more information, e-mail [email protected].

Hunter is a beautiful Boykin Spaniel mix who belongs on the cover of Field and Stream. His soft brown coat and striking eyes make him a real stunner. This sweet, energetic boy likes to play with other dogs and gets along fine with cats. As a one-year-old, he’s still got a lot of puppy in him, so he will need plenty of chew toys and a little training. Hunter would make a great addition to an active family.

Lazarus is a sweet, friendly Rottweiler/lab mix. This four-year-old clearly had a home before he roamed the streets as a stray. He was found with a collar, housebroken, responding to basic commands and heartworm negative. Unfortunately, during the months Lazarus spent at the shelter, no one ever came looking for him. He is now in foster care and is starting to come out of his shell. He is a shy, sweet, kind dog who could sit all day and let his owners pet him. For more information, contact his foster mom at 938-7326 or e-mail [email protected].

Wookiee is perfect. While he is good with other dogs, he is amazing with kitties. This 20-pound schnauzer/terrier is super-friendly and affectionate. While he has just entered foster care, he appears to be housebroken and good with all types of people. For more information, email his foster at [email protected].

Missy arrived at the shelter with three nursing puppies. All of her pups have been adopted, and Missy is free to find a loving, forever home. This energetic, bright-eyed girl is friendly and extremely affectionate. When she’s not running and playing outside, Missy loves to snuggle. Weighing only 24 pounds, this little beauty is clever and eager-to-please, too. She responds to sit command and is housebroken. For information, contact her foster at 933-7572.

All these pets have been spayed/neutered, vaccinated, heartworm tested and microchipped. Many other adoptable dogs are available through Friends of the Animals.