Message from M-DOG President Doug Buell:
After 12 years, members of the nonprofit Marysville Dog Owners Group that puts on Snohomish County's biggest dog event are sad to announce that we are cancelling the July 13 event in 2019 due tolack of volunteers.
The event draws about 4,000 people each year to give them and their dogs the fun day out that they deserve, ranging from pet contests and dog races to an adoptable pooch fashion show, demonstrations and dozens of vendors.
We've had plenty of outstanding volunteers to pull off Poochapalooza on event day itself, but we lacked enough help beforehand to make it happen.
Me and my wife, Leslie, who founded the event, have other community involvement commitments and outdoor recreational activities we want to pursue close to retirement; we both work full-time, for the most part.
Too many weekends become more hours spent pre-planning and coordinating activities related to Poochapalooza, such as attracting sponsors and vendors (food, pet supplies, etc.), getting raffle baskets donated, web and media work, advertising and promotion, recruiting volunteers and more.
We're huge dog lovers, and we love doing Poochapalooza, but the event needs a new champion to step up and take over, and that simply hasn't happened.
This year's event lost some longtime M-DOG members who have been critical contributors and exhibitors on event day.
The event celebrated its best year last July when David Frei, "America's Dog Guy" and NBC National Dog Show voice and analyst was a special guest.
Part of the problem is an overall decline in members and involvement that is hurting nonprofits and service clubs everywhere, not just M-DOG.
M-DOG volunteers will still carry on the work of maintaining the city's dog park, Strawberry Fields for Rover Off-Leash Park, in partnership with the Marysville Parks, Culture and Recreation Department. We invite you to join M-DOG in that endeavor as a volunteer at work parties or serving on the board, especially if you love taking your own furry friends to the park.
We hope to do a couple of smaller, less labor-intensive fundraisers during the year. We will keep you posted as those events take shape
M-DOG members said they haven't completely ruled out the event in the future. Even though it's going on hiatus this year, it could return if it gets the support to back it.
Again, we want to say a huge thank you to all the visitors, volunteers, sponsors, vendors, demonstrators and exhibitor who enjoyed Poochapalooza over the years, giving their dogs the day out they deserve!
Sincerely,
Doug Buell, dgbuell@frontier.com
425-308-2716