Basset hounds and their owners filled a park with fun and support for an organization that helps homeless hounds.
By JOY DAVIS-PLATT
Published February 9, 2004
[Times photo: Maurice Rivenbark]
Daisy May and Barney stand around at the annual Suncoast Basset Rescue's Sweetheart Waddle held at Florida Classic Park on Lockhart Road, east of Brooksville.
Ears flopping behind her in a stiff afternoon breeze, Daisy bounded over ankle-high hurdles as fast as her short legs would allow.
On Sunday, Daisy was one of hundreds of basset hounds at Suncoast Basset Rescue's second annual Sweetheart's Day Waddle at Florida Classic Park in Brooksville.
Her fur the color of lightly browned toast, year-old Daisy waddled through a tunnel at the end of the obstacle course and into the arms of her owner, Enrique Barreto.
"These dogs are very vocal," said Barreto, who refers to Daisy as an only child. "Not so much barking, but little cries and noises they make to communicate. They're phenomenal dogs."
About 500 people attended the weekend event, estimated Karen Young, who began the nonprofit rescue organization seven years ago to provide foster homes and adoption services to abandoned and surrendered bassets across the state.
Money raised at the weekend-long event will help defray the costs of rescuing and supporting the animals until permanent homes are found.
"I would have a whole houseful if I could," said Young, who owns two of the animals. "I call them nature's clowns."
The event featured activities like the a costume contest, auction, rally and games, and the signature event, a parade, better known as "The Waddle."
Besides raising money, the group adopted out nine basset hounds over the weekend, Young said. Last year, the group rescued 300 dogs and was able to find homes for more than 260 of them.
"It's a matter of matching the right basset with the right home," said Terry Biehl, the group's adoption coordinator. "Most of the time, that's just a matter of whether they have cats or children and what type of a home they live in."
Over the weekend, Biehl and her husband, Brent, adopted a dark-eyed dog named Sam.
"Sam is very laid back, just like my husband," said Biehl, giving Sam's head a stroke. "They're kindred spirits, I think."
A stray, Sam is about 4 years old, Biehl estimates, and came into the program through an animal shelter.
"It's easy to lose track of a basset hound once they get on a scent," said Biehl, who says bassets were originally bred to hunt small game. "It's possible for them to just follow a scent until they wind up too far from home to get back."
At the obstacle course, Daisy's final time was nearly a minute and a half - a far cry from the day's top speed of 26 seconds. But Barreto isn't disappointed.
"She really knows nothing about any of this," said Barreto, who lives in Tampa. "We're just out here for fun."
- Joy Davis-Platt can be reached at 352 848-1435 or joy@sptimes.com
