By Emma Bouthillette 

Staff Writer

The sound of crashing waves on the coast could barely be heard over barks from dogs of every shape, size and color as they walked the length of Kennebunk’s beaches with their owners Sunday for the 14^th annual Strut Your Mutt, the largest annual fundraiser for the West Kennebunk Animal Welfare Society. 

With 250 people walking nearly 300 dogs Sunday, this year’s event raised nearly $50,000 from registration fees and pledges, matching last year’s total, and Program Coordinator Gail Crowell said proceeds directly benefit the Sadie Fund, money set aside specifically for medical treatment of animals that arrive at the Animal Welfare Society. 

“Yes, it is a lot of money. But is it enough to take care of all the animals that come in? No,” Crowell said. “We spend more than $150,000 annually in medical care alone.”

Currently, the Animal Welfare Society has 250 cats at satellite locations, in foster care or at the shelter, and 40 dogs waiting for “forever homes.” Some shelter volunteers walked some of those dogs with the hope they would find new owners at the fundraising event. 

Mickey Thompson, a 7-year-old bullmastiff mix, walked proud with an orange vest that advertised “adopt-me” along his side. He was surrendered to the shelter because his owners no longer wanted a dog, and is known to behave well around other dogs, cats and children. 

Blue, a 7-year-old cattle dog and shepherd mix, walked alongside Mickey Thompson. Her owners also surrendered her and while she cooperates with other dogs and cats, the shelter said she is not fond of children. 

Another feature of Sunday’s event was a reunion for the dogs rescued from the Buxton Puppy Mill in August 2007. More than 250 dogs were rescued, some of which were pregnant, resulting in another 100 puppies that needed homes, and Crowell the last of the dogs were adopted in July.

Nearly 40 dogs were present for the reunion and wore blue bandanas instead of orange like all the other dogs.

“It’s a chance for staff to see the dogs again and for everyone else to see how these dogs are doing a year later,” Crowell said. 

Animal Welfare Society Board of Directors President Bob Hores ultimately adopted the puppy that was born in the back of his car in route to the emergency veterinary hospital.

Hores said the puppy, named Saucy, earned her name thanks to the labeling system the vets used to keep the dogs from the puppy mill organized. 

“There was a cage number on each cage and then the puppies were labeled A-1, 2, 3,” Hores said. “The tech came out and told me mom and Saucy could go home. I said ‘Saucy, where did that come from?’ and they told me she was the only puppy to survive so she was A-1—like the sauce.”

While most participants only walked one dog, some came in packs and not all were products of the Animal Welfare Society. Cathy Laprise of Berwick, Donna Stawasz of York, and Anne Kostecki visiting from Albany, N.Y., shared the responsibility of walking Nicki, Sabre, Kaya, Kindra and Beckett, five puffy white Siberian huskies. 

Linda and Norm Crowell of Kennebunk juggled a tangle of leashes as five pugs played around their feet. Ava was a Buxton dog they adopted in February, they adopted Juliette and Juno Sept. 5, and they bought Bugga and Miss Dixie from a litter as brother and sister.

As Norm Crowell tried to tie the orange bandannas onto the small dogs, Linda Crowell said, “Three of our dogs came from the Animal Welfare Society, so we wouldn’t miss it [Strut Your Mutt]. We love having five pugs. They are so exciting and individual, of course they do take up a lot of the bed at night.”