STORY AND PHOTOS BY KAREN BOSSICK

                Jake is a cocker spaniel—America’s dog during the 1950s. But he found himself homeless when his owner moved into assistive living. A Shih Tzu named Butchie appears to be a little deaf—“or she just doesn’t listen very well,” according to veterinary tech Nadia Novik.

                And Jasper is a 4-year-old chocolate lab who was found roaming the streets.

                These dogs and three others worked the lawn at the Trail Creek Pavilion Thursday night, trolling for a forever home for themselves and others as the Animal Shelter of the Wood River Valley threw its annual Dog Days of Summer benefit.

                “Even if you can’t take in another pet by supporting the shelter, you may be able to give a chance for that to happen in another family,” Westminster Dog Show host David Frei told patrons.

                Dogs was dolled up in a Best of Show ribbon, Go-Pro camera, golf tam or booties to advertise the auction lots. They included a trip to the Iditarod, a visit backstage at the Westminster Dog Show, adventures in the Caribbean, Grand Canyon and Bali and a trip to the St. Andrews, Scotland—home of golf.

                Patrons sipped Greyhounds made of vodka and grapefruit juice as they perused silent auction items, which included Hillary Hayward’s birdhouse resembling an octopus and Jennifer Huseby’s “Orange Blossom Pixie House.”

                “The Bible tells us that a faithful friend is medicine,” Frei told listeners. “If you bring a dog or cat into your life, you have a friend for life. They’ll teach you about life’s simple pleasures. They’ll teach you it’s not about finishing the journey but enjoying it.”

                Toni Bogue, Sun Valley’s ice cream lady, knows a little bit about what dogs bring into one’s life  since she has two rescue dogs—a lab named Truman and a husky/cattle dog mix named Cracker.

 “They’ve brought lightness and love, perspective, and they make me get out and exercise,” she said.

“And they’re good brothers to Georgia,” chimed in Toni’s mother, Christine Warjone as she cited how the dogs were so protective of her granddaughter even when she was an infant.

Lynn Whittelsey has the same kind of attachment to her yellow lab—Heidi, who sometimes can’t help but swim Trail Creek from Boundary Campground into town.

“We’ll be hiking and she’ll jump in and go—I just have to be patient and wait for a call from someone to come pick her up,” she said. “I needed a companion after my husband and other dog died. And Heidi has been that—she even sleeps on my bed.”

Dana Miller and artist Brandis Sarich, who sold commissions to paint Paco and Teddy on behalf of the shelter Thursday night, roamed the grounds inside the big furry bodies of the shelter’s canine and feline mascots.

“It’s fun. Everybody hugs you and pets you. People should treat you like that all the time,” said Sarich.

Eighteen-year-old Joe Begovich was also among those volunteering at the event. He started walking dogs for the shelter when he was 7 and now serves as a youth representative on   the shelter board. He hopes to continue in that role after he heads to Stanford University this fall where he plans to major in public policy and political science.

“As the years have gone by, I’ve gotten more interested in the business administration side of the operation,” he said. “Now I’m trying to raise money for a new shelter across the street. We have an awesome staff, volunteers and community support, but the shelter has outgrown its current facility. We could house more animals, do more kid-friendly programs, even do more programs involving groups like Higher Ground and the Senior Connection if we had a better facility.”

SEE MORE PICTURES IN TODAY’S EYE ON SUN VALLEY