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Doting on Dalmatians
By SHERYL KAY LUTZ -- Don't worry about finding a nice spot at Lake Park this Sunday. There will be thousands of them, literally, as the second Dalmatians in the Park Picnic gets under way at noon. The event's host, Susan Weber, 46, founder of the Lutz based rescue organization Saving Dalmatians One by One, hopes to raise awareness of the plight of abandoned Dalmatians while also raising rescue funds, and maybe even arranging a few adoptions. "Dalmatians are one of the top three breeds in need of rescue," said Weber, a part-time computer saleswoman and dog advocate. "A lot of people acquire a dog like the Dalmatian because it's a striking breed that's been popularized by the Disney movies, but it's all impulse buying. They haven't done any research on the breed at all." Once they get the dog home, says Weber, new owners are surprised to find out that the canine they just purchased has very little in common with the ones made famous in the theaters. For starters, says Weber, Dalmatians are extremely active. The Dalmatian Club of America, which states that the ancient dogs were bred for coaching and companionship, confirms this. Owners must be willing to exercise the animal every day to avoid destructive behaviors. Weber also says the dogs do not do well with small children. "With the Dal's activity level and size, we get a lot of calls that babies are being knocked over," said Weber. "The dog isn't being mean, its just being active." In fact, there have been scattered reports of aggressive Dalmatians, but Weber says those are mostly due to misunderstanding the dog's naturally energetic personality. Also, because of the heightened demand during the last decade, "backyard breeders" mate the dogs without regard for maintaining the genetics of the dog's natural personality. This has resulted in Dalmatians that are overly shy, hyperactive or sometimes hostile. On the other hand, quality bred Dalmatians are "just perfect for families who like their active traits, and who want a dog that is highly intelligent and funny and will stay beside its owners all the time," Weber said. "That's why I love them." Weber's privately funded Saving Dalmatians accepts only those dogs that are about to be euthanized at local shelters. Most are older, many are on medication, and few have any possibilities of being adopted. She houses 19 such dogs at her 21/2-acre home in Lutz, and is currently at capacity. She organized the Dalmatians in the Park Picnic to help raise funds for the largest no-kill Dalmatian rescue group in Florida, Dalmatian Rescue Inc., run by Pati Dane. All proceeds from the picnic will go directly to Dane's group in Miami. "I'm very grateful for an event like this," said Dane, who is housing 85 Dalmatians at her facility, and says she gets three to five calls a day for drop-offs. "Our monthly operating costs are about $6,500, and all of the proceeds will go to help pay food bills and vet bills." Dane, 45, says the picnic is particularly important because recently there have been more successful adoptions here than in Miami. Several of Dane's Dalmatians will be on hand for adoption. Sunday's picnic will run from noon to 4 p.m. at the big shelter in Lake Park on N Dale Mabry Highway, just south of Van Dyke Road. Admission is free; a full lunch will be offered for $6 per person. There will also be a DJ, demonstrations, canine games and prizes, painted pet portraits and hand-made Dalmatian jewelry for sale. For information or to RSVP (which is requested), call Weber at 926-5430. To view Dalmatians available for adoption, vist Dane's Web site at www.petfinder.org/shelters/dalmatianrescue.html. -- Contact Sheryl Kay at skreporter@hotmail.com.
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