Sisters goes to the dogs - and bunnies and alpacas

Sisters Country's very first pet parade drew a large turnout of pets and owners as it traveled down Hood Avenue, culminating in a May Day celebration at Village Green Park.

Parade organizer, Jeri Buckmann of the Sisters Area Chamber of Commerce, led the parade with her dog Jake, a beautiful golden retriever.

Dogs of all shapes and sizes, a rabbit, and even some alpacas rounded out the parade, some in costume, most bundled slightly to accommodate the chill in the air.

Bend residents Tim and Sandy Emmons read about the pet parade in the paper and brought their dog Shasta, a St. Bernard/Lab mix. They said their dog likes the socialization.

"We had to take her for a walk somewhere," said Tim Emmons. "Sisters was as good a place as any."

Bud the Bunny hopped over to the parade with the Wittmer family of Sisters. Bud rode down Hood Avenue in grand style with the youngest Wittmers in a pink sport coupe followed by his young friend Filo, a black Aussie.

The tallest four legs at the parade were Indie and American Pride, two- and four-year-old alpacas raised by Jennifer and Cheryl Sturdy.

"We shear them every year and make lead ropes with the fiber," Cheryl said.

Eight-month-old Fiona, a medium-size brown bowser, stood out from the crowd all dressed up in a pink tutu, looking ready for her ballet lesson. Fiona brought her human roommates, Beth and Wystan Brown of Bend.

Six-year-old tweenie dachshunds and littermates Frank and Abby were warm and running alongside owner Justyn Coronado.

"They do everything at the same time," said Coronado, who lives at Suttle Lake with husband Curtis and son Oliver. "They're like one dog in two bodies. They're good with my baby, Oliver."

Leading up the rear of the parade, the Redmond Humane Society brought five dogs ready for adoption. "Save a Life, Adopt a Homeless Pet" was their motto.

The Sisters Area Chamber of Commerce sponsored the event and rounded out the afternoon with a May Day celebration.

Chamber staff Susie Green and Karly Hedrick were set up at Village Green Park, served cookies to the kids and helped children carry on the May Day tradition, making May baskets with flowers provided by Ray's Food Place of Sisters. Some of the participants received 2010 Sisters Pet Parade buttons.

Indiana (aka Indy), a two-year-old toy Australian shepherd, celebrated her birthday at the pet parade. She herds her owner, Bill Anttila of Sisters.

"She's the first dog we ever bought," Anttila said. "All the rest were rescued."

Everyone has a pet story about a loved pet. Anttila talked about another dog he rescued years ago and the first time he saw her.

"She was tied up and hanging on the porch. The lady didn't want her so she had tied her up and left her hanging there," Anttila said. "She complained that her husband had brought home this dog and she didn't want it. I said I would take it.

"I was driving the dog home and was trying to think of what to call it and got stung by a bee," he said, "So I called her Booboo Bear. She lived for 18 years."