Saturday, Sept. 7, Tehachapi's own Have a Heart Humane Society sponsored its fifth annual Gone to the Dogs 5K Fun Run and Pet Fest. The event was held at Meadowbrook Park and also included games for children, a petting zoo, free animal microchipping, food and craft vendors, and animal adoptions. According to Have a Heart President, Carol Larimore, the event is the biggest fundraiser of the year for the humane society's spay and neuter services.

Photo provided

K9 demonstration.

At precisely noon, dozens of painted lady butterflies (indigenous to our area) were released in honor of our lost pets; this activity began with the reading of the "Rainbow Bridge Poem" by the humane society's Cindy Lawler, who is also a United Methodists minister. The traditional poem informs us that our deceased pets will wait for us until we can all be reunited in heaven. Following the butterfly release, the Kern County Sheriff's K9 unit performed a fascinating demonstration highlighting the capabilities of its highly-trained patrol dogs. After the demonstration, the president of the Tehachapi Mountain Dog Fanciers, Teri Kahn, presented the K9 unit with a check for $1,000, to be used toward the purchase of a bullet-proof dog-protective vest.

The weather was marvelous – not too hot, with a robust cooling breeze – and a good time was had by all (four-legged and two-legged) participants.