Yips, barks and laughter filled the air as “Who Let the Dogs Out” blared through loudspeakers. Under the golden sun, the “Dog Days of Summer” event came to life. Once a month in August, September and October at The Crossing in North Beach, Into the Streets hosts the event celebrating the city’s four legged friends through dance competitions, trick showcases, costume contests and a pet parade. Various booths feature shelters, pet healthcare, baked goods and costumes, providing a mix of resources and treats.
As attendees entered the event on Sep. 28, one of the first booths they encountered was “Finding a Best Friend” a non-profit organization based in Stockton, California and founded by Regina Sanchez. “We’ve seen how not only animal abuse and neglect have been increasing, but also [animal] homelessness […] We’re in this world to coexist, we’re here to help each other.” At the event with her, Sanchez had six dogs: Ruff Ruff, Miguel and Bernadette with her three puppies, and two kittens: Marshmallow and Oreo. A steady crowd of people surrounded the booth, eager to hold one of the animals. Sanchez said that San Francisco based events like Dog Days of Summer are ideal, “It’s very animal oriented, a huge animal community. This is where we want our babies to be, in a city that appreciates rescue dogs.”
While humans cooed over the animals, dogs pulled their owners past the shelter booth to the food truck next door. Diamond Dogs Treatery is a mobile pet bakery and boutique run by owner Nicole Sloate. “I was living in Thailand working at a dog and cat rescue, I was turning 50 and knew that I was coming back to the States. I was like ‘What does this next chapter look like?’ And I just had the idea. And then when I got back I hit the ground running and here it is.” The truck features an array of baked goods from venison em-paw-nadas to peanut butter cannolis. Along with the staples, Sloate makes seasonal treats as well. “Halloween’s about to come and I have a whole menu in mind that I’m really excited to make […] Coming up with new things and trying them out is always exciting.”
As the day progressed, excitement built around the costume competition where dogs dressed as everything from bumblebees to classic movie characters. Audience members were encouraged to cheer for whoever they liked, and the dog with the loudest cheers won. Each dog had its round of cheers, but the audience roared for Natalie Marie Chu and her dogs Bo-Katan and Mando, short for Mandalorian. Chu wore a “Star Wars” themed beanie, sweatshirt, galaxy pants and a Yoda backpack while Bo-Katan and Mando were dressed as Darth Vadar and Ahsoka from the “Star Wars” universe respectively. After winning their first costume contest, Chu plans to come again “It was so much fun and I want to come back […] I think it’s good for the dogs to get out and meet other spoiled brats,” Chu laughed.
Abraham Dover and Toya Wynn work for Into the Streets, a culture production studio that organizes outdoor civic and cultural events in San Francisco. “This is our second season of doing [Dog Days of Summer],” Wynn said. “One thing we like to highlight is small businesses. […] It’s given [people] a chance to come out, check out the vendors and brick and mortar businesses in the city, and for them to enjoy themselves with their dogs.”
Many people did come out. Crystal Navarro and her 3-year-old dog Barney Zubia also found out about the event on Instagram. “This is my first time at an official dog event […] I think because I already have a friend group here that all now have dogs, we’re constantly going to different things and what’s really nice is we get to meet different people […] we just sit there and talk about our dogs […] that’s what’s really nice about the dog community is sharing with each other what we do for our dogs and how to help them.”
As the event came to a close, the shelter dog Ruff Ruff was on the brink of finding his forever home. Debbie Masterson was on a walk with her husband when they came across the event. They had been casually looking for a dog, but with Ruff Ruff it was love at first sight. Without hesitation, they began applying for adoption right then and there. “He’s really mild-mannered, loving, soft,” said Masterson. “Yeah, I think we’re a good match.”
The final Dog Days event of the year will be on Oct. 26
Editor-in-Chief: Jordan Premmer, Chief Copy Editor: Sophia McCrackin, Managing Editor: Jordan DelFiugo, Opinion Editor: Dakota Duran, Scene Editor: Elina Graham
