The 5th Annual PINS Pet Festival & Blessing of the Animals will be held Saturday, September 16, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Brandenburg City Park Gazebo on the river. This is one of the group’s biggest fundraisers – with emphasis on the “fun”!

A new feature this year is an “Animal Communicator” – a woman who, according to one PINS member, can communicate with animals or through pictures of animals to discover problems, get information, gain insight, and even find missing pets! She charges a small fee for her services, but she will donate a portion of her proceeds for the day to PINS. 

All the contests for this year’s Pet Festival are based on our 50’s theme. Contest categories are: 

(1)  ”You Ain’t Nothin’But a Hound Dog—Best trick by a dog. 
(2)  ”Love Me Tender” - Best 50’s Costume on child under 12 with pet in costume also
(3)  ”Purple People Eater” - Most Unusual Pet
(4)  ”Yakety Yak” - Best Singing or Talking Pet 
(5)  ”The Twist” - Best Dancing Pet (Costumes preferred) 
(6)  ”Whole Lot of Shakin’ Goin’ On” - Best Tail Wagger (animal) 
(7)  ”Bird Dog” - Best Retrieval by a dog (human in costume preferred) 
(8)  ”Leader of the Pack” - Most Obedient dog 
(9)  Poodle Skirts and more—Best 50’s Costume on Human over age 12 with Their Pet in Costume. 
(10) Fuzzy Dice -  Best Cat Trick  (Costumes preferred) 
(11) “Jailhouse Rock” - Recognition of Animal Shelter Adoptees (no costume required) 
(12) Hula Hoop Contest for all ages 

This is a great opportunity for the whole community to celebrate their pets as well as the progress Meade County has made in the past few years as a more humane county. Pets should be on a leash or in a carrier and lawn chairs are advised.

Raffle tickets will continue to be sold till the raffle drawing is held at 1:00 at the Pet Festival. First prize in the raffle is two round-trip tickets on Southwest Airlines to wherever they fly in the U.S.  Other prizes include meals at Doe Run Inn and Caesar’s, savings bonds from Meade County Bank and First Federal Savings Bank, free tire rotations, golf clubs, passes to Holiday World Splash ‘n Safari, Squire Boone Caverns, Slugger Museum, seats for the Louisville Bats, and many more prizes. 

The fall yard sale will be held Sept. 9,  9:00-Noon, with a rain date of Sept. 23, at the corner of KY 1638 and Weldon Road. Donations are still needed, and people are urged to get their donations to Creature Comfort Inn by Sept. 7. 

Also discussed at the PINS August meeting were the county animal ordinance update, participation in the Fort Knox Holiday Bazaar Nov. 3-5, with a need for more wreaths to be made – patriotic as well as seasonal will be needed, with a minimum of 50 wreaths to be taken to the Bazaar. The annual PINS Wreath Festival will be held at the courthouse Dec. 3-9, and crafters are already busy working on items.

The spay/neuter program is going quite well, with 57 vouchers being sent this month to assist county residents with the surgery. There have been 301 spay/neuter surgeries with PINS assistance this year alone; a total of 2,218 since PINS program inception in Nov. 2001. County residents can call the PINS voicemail 422-3838 for more information.

The PINS website has been redesigned by Jane Faul. 

Judge Executive candidate Harry Craycroft addressed the PINS members and discussed animal control issues and a wide range of other topics in answer to questions from the floor. He praised the accomplishment of PINS, and thanked us for all we do to help the animals and people in Meade County, noting that he cannot remember when he last saw a stray or dead dog on the road and credited PINS’ efforts in spay & neuter and education for that. 

The next PINS meeting will be held Sept. 25 at Little Dave’s restaurant in Brandenburg. At that time the election slate for next year will be presented, and other local candidates for election will speak.