STORY AND PHOTOS BY KAREN BOSSICK
Laura Jorgenson and her Great Pyrenees rescue named Goose went fishing this weekend. But they never dipped their fly-fishing rod in the Big Wood.
Instead, the two reeled in the grand prize at one of two pet costume parades Mountain Humane hosted as part of its weekend-long 50th Anniversary Celebration.
Jorgenson showed up for the pet parade in Hailey’s Roberta McKercher Park in fly-fishing waders with a rod in hand, and Goose showed up in a rainbow trout outfit, its green scales pulled down around his legs and fins perched on his broad white shoulders.
“My husband’s into fly fishing so we thought this would make a fitting costume,” said Jorgenson “We found Goose running along Highway 75 in the desert near Shoshone and he’s such a wonderful, mellow dog—he’s 8 and a half years old now. The only mishap we ever had was when he got his head stuck in the frame of a cat door.”
For their effort, Jorgenson and Goose were awarded a large bag containing a scent-controlled fanny pack—perfect for those times when someone has to pick up poop a fair distance from a poop disposal bin. Their bag also contained a T-shirt, play toys for Goose, gift cards from such businesses as Thunderpaws, Black Owl Coffee and the Wicked Spud and an array of other items.
Five runners-up also got generous prizes, as did another round of winners further north in Ketchum Town Square.
The two pet parades brought out an array of pooches dressed as peacocks, Smokey the Bear, Batman and Robin and princesses.
There was even an alum of Mountain Humane dressed in prison stripes with the sign “Penitentiary Prisoner” on his back.
“He’s an alum—he broke out,” said Heidi Hayes, the spokesperson for Mountain Humane.
Mountain Humane Director Annie McCauley and Board President Sally Onetto said the pet parades were everything they’d hoped they’d be.
“We even had people from out of town turn out to watch!” said McCauley.
COMING UP NEXT:
Mountain Humane is currently building a Bark Park where larger dogs can go to exercise on the campus out Hailey’s Croy Canyon. The park, complete with viewing bench, is expected to be finished in six weeks.