Dogs and people show love for the bay at DogFest 2017
– DogFest 2017: Dogs for Clean Water invites dogs to bring their people to City Park in Morro Bay for a day of fun and learning. Attendees can enter the Morro Bay Dog Show and play dog-themed games for a chance to win prizes. Children (and children at heart) can participate in the Fake Poo Pickup Race, rushing to pick up as much fake dog poo as possible before time runs out. The winner will receive a prize and get to sign the Fake Poo Race Winners’ plaque. Attendees—both furry and non—who prefer to stay out of the spotlight can just grab a seat to watch a wealth of doggie demonstrations, walk around to visit vendor booths to pick up free stuff, and learn new tricks for helping keep water clean in local creeks and the Morro Bay estuary. Light snacks will be available, donations accepted. Presenters include: Santa Lucia Open Dog Obedience Group (SLODOG), American Guide Dogs for the Blind, and the Morro Bay National Estuary Program, amongst others. All dogs in attendance must be on leash and well-behaved.
Dogfest 2017: Dogs for Clean Water will be held Saturday, May 20, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at City Park in Morro Bay, on the corner of Morro Bay Blvd. and Harbor St. in Morro Bay. DogFest promotes the popular Mutts for the Bay program, which the Morro Bay National Estuary Program has managed since 2005. Dedicated volunteers, the City of Morro Bay, and the Estuary Program are working together to present DogFest in order to raise awareness about the importance of picking up pet waste.
Dog waste contains twice as much bacteria as human waste and can linger for up to a year, washing into local waterways—including creeks and the bay—when it rains. Bacterial contamination from dog waste harms water quality and can cause illness. Simply picking up after our dogs helps keep bacteria out of local creeks and the bay, so that our waters are safe for swimming and other recreation. Thanks to the help of many committed volunteers, generous business sponsors, and private donors, the Mutts for the Bay Program provides free disposable, degradable bags for dog waste pickup at 27 dispensers that are strategically located at parks throughout Morro Bay. In 2016, this program provided over 358,000 dog waste bags to the public, keeping thousands of pounds of dog waste from washing into our waters.
Dogfest 2017: Dogs for Clean Water is proudly put on by the Mutts for the Bay program, which is managed by the Morro Bay National Estuary Program in partnership with the City of Morro Bay. The Morro Bay National Estuary Program brings together citizens, local governments, other nonprofits, agencies, and landowners to protect and restore the Morro Bay estuary for people and wildlife. The Estuary Program has been conducting monitoring and research, restoring natural habitats, and educating residents and visitors on how to keep Morro Bay clean and healthy since 1995.
