New event will herald 'dog days of summer'

What do you get when 1,000 dogs invade a sleepy mountain town? A bad day to be a cat.

And if Scott Buckles' grand plans come to fruition, Sisters will be host site of the inaugural "Sisters Doggie Dash" on Saturday, August 15. It's a canine congregation that will, paws-down, be the largest mass gathering of dogs Central Oregon has ever seen.

"I think we can get 1,000 dogs and owners. I really do. Everyone is going to want to be a part of this," Buckles said.

Buckles is a Sisters resident and real estate appraiser. He's also no stranger to event planning, having organized the successful Sisters High Cascades Off-Road Triathlon at Suttle Lake from 2003 through 2006, as well as numerous basketball tournaments and adult softball leagues.

Sisters Doggie Dash is Buckles latest and greatest brainchild - a one-day dog jamboree taking place at Sisters High School that combines a run/walk, music, food, and vendors selling everything from leashes and bowls to organic dog cookies and pet massages.

Think of it as a "Woodstock for Dogs," minus the drugs and the mud.

The event is a charity fund-raiser to benefit the Bend Spay and Neuter Project, a non-profit, low- and no-cost pet clinic that services over 4,000 cats and dogs per year.

"Central Oregon is Dog Country. This is a fresh idea for a great cause. It's the right time and Sisters is the right place," said Buckles, sitting with his young golden retriever "Puka."

His inspiration came one boring afternoon with the real estate market slowed to an agonizing crawl. Buckles took a leisurely drive into Bend to deliver a home appraisal. Next door was the Bend Spay and NeuterProject doing brisk business in a little 1970s ranch-style house. Intrigued, Buckles went inside for a tour and was greeted by an odd sight.

"There were a dozen cats laying over the furniture and across the counter on bath towels in various states of recovery. Along the wall were pet crates stacked like cordwood where cats peered out awaiting their owners," Buckles said.

Buckles learned of the clinic's establishment in 2005 by founder Sara Dice, and the incredible numbers of spays and neuters performed each year courtesy of veterinarians Kerri McDowell and Emily Perkins.

"That day alone, they had done 34 cats and six dogs," Buckles recalled.

The Doggie Dash will feature a two-mile and four-mile run/walk course that starts and finishes at the high school using some combination of Sisters streets and National Forest Trails. A section of the course will loop around and parade through downtown Sisters for spectators to cheer on the pack. Details on the exact routes are still being planned and subject to change.

Buckles smiled at the thought of what this unique event may become.

"We're expecting a huge response. This could explode into something not just of regional importance, but may even gain national attention. I want to get people from Salem, Albany and Portland to come out for the spectacle. It's going to be amazing. There's never been anything like this anywhere," he said.

Festival-goers will be able to register online at a Doggie Dash Web site that should be up and running next week. Buckles encourages everyone to pre-register to avoid a "dog jam" the day of the event. The cost to enter last minute on race day will be $30 per dog. You can also sign up in-person at registration sites set up around town at Groomingdales, Sisters Feed, and Sisters Video beginning May 1.

An event of this size only runs smoothly with the help of dedicated volunteers. Those interested in donating their time, and wishing to receive a free T-shirt, can sign up online or call Buckles directly.

Buckles is hard at work designing the Doggie Dash logo and graphics for the T-shirts and other merchandise. Posters will start making their appearance around town starting the end of this month.

For more information visit the Bend Spay and Neuter Project at http://www.bendsnip.org or contact Scott Buckles at 549-4783.