Mutts get their own holiday


By FLORI MEEKS
Chronicle Correspondent


This Sunday, fans around the nation will celebrate an unsung hero.

The mixed-breed dog will have its moment in the sun Dec. 2 during the United States' first National Mutt Day, a new holiday.

The celebration will take place at two locations, the Mobile SPCA in Mobile, Ala., and Noah's Ark Animal Sanctuary, a no-kill shelter at 18430 K-Z Road in Cypress. The festivities in Cypress, set for noon-4 p.m., will include $5 barbecue plates, vendors, entertainment and adoptable dogs of all breeds. Admission is free and open to the public. The sanctuary, which is operated by founder Heather Burnett, is home to dogs, cats, horse, rabbits and some pot-bellied pigs.

"Heather is there in the trenches trying to make a difference in the lives of so many animals," said Candace Runaas, the director of operations and public relations for National Dog Day, the forerunner to National Mutt Day.

Runaas, who lives in Spring, made a point of looking for a local site for one of the official Mutt Day activities. "There are so many worthy locations," she said. "Honestly, it was their (Noah's Ark Animal Sanctuary) willingness to be part of this event that made them stand out."

It was Colleen Paige, founder of the Animal Miracle Foundation, who established National Dog Day and National Mutt Day. The foundation, which is based in Kingston, Wash., strives to foster awareness of the plights of animals around the globe. "I've worked with so many animals in my life, that  it was a natural fit," said Paige, an animal behaviorist and dog trainer.

Paige, who is the daughter of late actor Robert Paige and actress JoAnne Ludden, was inspired to created National Dog Day in 2004, after reading a book about the 9/11 attacks. Though more than 300 dogs pulled people out of rubble, there was not one mention of a rescue dog the book.

"I was just shocked," Paige said. "I thought - dogs are not getting the recognition they deserve." The Aug. 26 event would be an opportunity to honor these animals and to create events leading to dog adoptions.

Part of that effort was the creation of the National Dog Day Foundation, which Paige later renamed the Animal Miracle Network, to reflect her interest in all living creatures. Paige would go on to create National Puppy Day, March 23; National Cat Day, Oct. 29; National Horse Protection Day, March 1; and National Wildlife Day, Sept. 4.

The Dec. 2 National Mutt Day singles out animals that are in dire need of help, Paige said. "The shelters are filled mostly with mutts," she said. "They're the ones really suffering."

For more information about National Mutt Day, visit www.nationalmuttday.org or www.noahs-ark-sanctuary.org.