Posted by Mark Cook
From Brentwood Home Page
Local dog lovers in partnership with The Puppy Up Foundation, a national nonprofit organization that funds cancer research benefiting both pets and people, will be holding the PuppyUp Nashville Walk on Saturday October 27, 2018 at the Edwin Warner Park, Shelter 11 in Nashville.
Registration begins at 10:30 a.m.; the walk begins at noon, and the event closes at 3 p.m.
Visit www.puppyupwalk.org/nashville or www.puppyup.org to register.
Michael J. Patton Pet Photographer is a Gold Paw sponsor of the walk.
Cherish Lombard, anchor of News 2 (WKRN) at 4, is the emcee for the event’s cancer hero celebration ceremony. The event also includes a vendor fair with vendors/sponsors (Gold Paw sponsors are Value Vet, Michael J. Patton Pet Photographer, Gunner Kennels, Richland Animal Clinic, Nippers Corner Pet Medical Center, Southside Animal Hospital), K-9 demonstrations from the Special Operations Division (canine section) of the Metro-Nashville Police Department, refreshments by Smokin’ Buttz and No Baked, and a silent auction. There is a dog costume contest at 11:30 a.m., right before the walk, for best-dressed pup, best-dressed couple and pack pick (group costumes & pups).
A tribute wall will be dedicated to those people/pets that have lost their battle with cancer and those current fighters and survivors.
Puppy Jam, a celebration of the Nashville music scene, will offer acoustic performances by Eric Ryan, Casey Edgar, Chandler Stephens, Page Mackenzie, Ben Cesare (frontman of The Ben Cesare Band) and Taylor Marie Wagner from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Karen Clemente, walk organizer, said she hopes to educate people on the early warning signs of canine cancer.
“Sadly cancer affects one in every three dogs,” she said. “Of those, over half will unfortunately die of cancer.”
Pamela Lucas, DVM, MS, DACVIM (Oncology) at BluePearl Veterinary Partners in Franklin has been crucial in helping the local planning committee.
“Cancer is such an emotionally charged word, and it will affect every one of us in our lifetime. I have lost family, dear friends, and my own pets to cancer. I have also devoted my life to fighting cancer in animals and people. My master’s is in Comparative Oncology, which is the study of similarities in cancer causes, development, and treatment between people and dogs. Research is vital for finding the cure to this devastating disease, and my own research in PAC-1 has progressed from a clinical trial in dogs with lymphoma, to helping fight brain cancer in people. The Puppy Up Foundation helps raise money for clinical trials.”
The Puppy Up Foundation has committed to funding three (3) clinical trials at this time. All trials are conducted on pet dogs with naturally occurring cancers.
- Sensitization of macroscopic pulmonary osteosarcoma metastases to conventional doxorubicin therapy with synchronous pulsatile oral PAC-1 at the University of Illinois (in collaboration with the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Ohio State University. ($100,000)
- A study on drug therapy in pet dogs with bladder cancer at Purdue University, Indiana ($100,000)
- A study on canine lymphoma at the University of Missouri ($100,000)
The Puppy Up Foundation has donated $1.2 million toward education, awareness and cancer research.
Pre-registration is $25 per person through Oct. 25; free for children 14 and under; children must be accompanied by an adult. Registration on October 26 and the day of the walk is $30 per person. Participants may bring up to two dogs each. All dogs must be four months or older, up to date on vaccinations and must be on a 6-foot or shorter leash at all times (no retractable
leashes). Each registered participant receives a backpack and dog bandana.
To register now for the walk, visit www.puppyupwalk.org/nashville. To volunteer, email nashville@puppyup.org.
