The 19th Annual Dog Olympics and Paralympics is returning to Moore Square in downtown Raleigh on September 11th, 2010, from 10 AM to 4PM! This event, hosted by the NC State College of Veterinary Medicine’s Student Chapter of the American Animal Hospital Association, raises money for local animal rescue groups and celebrates the human-animal bond. Bring your best canine friends (and your human ones as well!) and let them compete in a variety of Olympic events including “Best Trick,” “Musical Sit,” “Look-A-Like,” “Limbo,” “High-Jump,” and many more!

Not feeling competitive? There’s still plenty to see and do with your four-legged friend in beautiful Moore Square. Learn about new ways you and your pup can spend time together by watching demonstrations of canine agility, training, dancing, and service. Watch as the Raleigh K9 Unit demonstrates the remarkable talents of their canine officers. Visit informational booths to find out more about your pet’s health or to learn how to get involved in some of the activities you’ve seen in the demos! Hungry? Fantastic barbecue food will be available from Smoke and Go BBQ, including ribs, beef brisket, turkey legs, macaroni and cheese, potato salad, banana pudding, and more! Then peruse the vendor booths for everything from collars, leashes, bandanas, toys, treats, and decorative doggie bowls, to jewelry, paintings, frames, clothes, and other crafts for you and your family. Or perhaps now is the time for a new furry addition to your family. Visit the eight rescue groups in attendance and learn more about the adoption process or how to become a foster family for dogs and cats that are on their way to finding their forever home.

Most assuredly, make a point of visiting the center of Moore Square at 12:30 to see the newest addition to the Dog Olympics—the Paralympics! These dedicated owners have helped their canine companions to overcome spinal cord injuries, and are proud to demonstrate how, with the use of carts, their dogs lead exceptional lives. Learn about the College of Veterinary Medicine’s spinal cord research program, and watch these amazing dogs compete in “Best Decorated Cart”, “Cart Races,” and “Obstacle Course Navigation.”

The Dog Olympics and Paralympics is a great event for the whole family. Please come out and enjoy the beautiful setting of Moore Square, Smoke and Go BBQ’s amazing menu, all of our Olympic events, the vendors, rescues, and demos in our Olympic Village, and most of all, the human-animal bond.