Before the official start of Perrito Grito both
SNAP Spay Neuter Assistance Program and the
San Antonio Humane Society were busy organizing our spay/neuter clinic that began at 7 a.m. They were able to complete 91 spay/neuter surgeries for our early morning participants that day. That is nearly quadruple the amount of surgeries that were performed as part of Perrito Grito last year. Way to go guys!
Volunteers arrived early and were treated to fresh coffee and pastries to get them energized for a day of nonstop work. We were lucky to have volunteers from across the city and members of great organizations join us for Perrito Grito. Our volunteers included: Kym's Kids, AmeriCorps, Valero, Jefferson High School, Texas MedClinic, and many wonderful UTSA student organizations.
We started that morning off right with a day of fun that was MC'd by Spurs legend
Tim Derk and his wonderful wife
Colleen Quirk. They introduced our ceremony participants which included: presentation of the colors by
VFW Post 76 and Sgt. Rambo (
retired military working dog), national anthem performed a capella by Marie Cornelius, and the pledge of allegiance lead by Tim Derk.
Fiesta Especial (R) Royal Court also participated in our Perrito Grito event. They were a wonderful addition to our festivities this year and we hope they will join us again next year!
Then our wonderful MCs then introduced
Councilman Cris Medina who read a proclamation from
Mayor Julián Castro that declared March 2, 2013 as "Bark in the Park-Perrito Grito" Day in San Antonio.
That concluded the opening ceremony and the rest of the day was kicked of right by a wonderful musical performance by
Las Alteñas. There was a brief music break and then
The Krayolas kicked off another solid performance before the
pet contests got started! Thank you to
Congressman Lloyd Doggett for stopping by and spending time talking with event guests and participating organizations.
While all of this was going on we had amazing food trucks and fantastic services stretched out all over Woodlawn Lake. The food trucks that kept our hunger at bay were:
K-Hill BBQ,
Grills Wheels,
Pork U, and
Say.She.Ate.
We were excited that they all joined us for Perrito Grito and look forward to having them out at more events in the future. We also want to recognize and thank all of our sponsors:
Alamo Tees and Advertising,
Camp Bow Wow,
Great Ex-Pet-Tations Mobile Grooming,
LAFMIL Photography,
Lucy's Doggy Daycare,
Quikprint, Pet's Barn, Starbucks on Cypress/San Pedro Location, Sparkletts, and
Y&L Consulting.
There was something for everyone at this event: pet adoptions, low- cost pet shots, pet licensing, collars, pet beds, leashes, jewelry, crafts, music, contests and art.
The Salvation Army provided bounce houses as well as children's activities for families to enjoy together. It truly was a beautiful day to spend with the whole family and enjoy the culture of San Antonio. The weather was perfect and we look forward to hosting the next Perrito Grito in 2014.
Keep your head high and tails waggin' San Antonio!
The Pick of the Litter contest was launched early in January of 2013 to recognize outstanding veterinary service in the San Antonio community. Pet parents from across the city were able to nominate their vet through submitting a short story about what makes their vet stand out in the community. A winner was picked on February 25th and announced at Bark in the Park on March 2nd.
We wanted to get to know our Pick of the Litter winner, Dr. Andrew Greller, a little bit better so we asked him a few questions and think you will be amused and humbled by his answers.
Dr. Greller truly understands the enriching qualities of pet companionship. He has a special way of communicating with both pet parent and pet that make his service to the community a treasure.
