PETS ON PARADE PUT THEIR BEST PAWS FORWARD TO BENEFIT HUMANE SOCIETY

Can you trust a dog who wears sunglasses?

A tiny girl was trying to decided when the spectacles-wearing pooch licked her hand and the tot squealed with glee.

Heidi, a 3-year-old rottweiler, had just made another friend at Saturday's Pets on Parade. At the event, held outside Michael Tanner Furnishings and co-sponsored by that store and the Humane Society of Southeast Missouri, people enjoyed the sights and dogs sniffed out the smells of contests, demonstrations and exhibits.

Heidi and her owner Larry Stone were part of one demonstration. Stone is with the Canine Companion Training Club, a not-for-profit group that offers obedience classes. Club members showed off their obedient animals and showed how they train pets and their owners.

"The main key to obedience is training people to train their dogs," Stone said.

People and animals seemed to be on their best behaviors Saturday. No major fights erupted and the dogs all seemed friendly to people and other dogs.

"This event is great for the animals because it gets them out and socializing," said Debbie Litzelfelner, administrator for the Humane Society of Southeast Missouri. "It also gets our name out and let's people see the different types of animals out there."

Bonnie Ervin said her dogs, Angel Marie and Princess Dawn, love such events.

Angel, a Bichon, was dressed in a brightly colored clown suit that included pointy hat. Princess, a shitszu, was dressed in a pink baby doll dress.

"I have lots of outfits for them," said Ervin, who held Angel's leash while her granddaughter Ceirsten Ervin held the leash of Princess. Ervin said she often will dress the dogs up and take them to nursing home to brighten the day of patients.

Joshiah, Elijah and Benjamin Gerst were taken with the exotic animals brought to Pets on Parade by Jur-rock's Park, which uses exotic animals to deliver an anti-drug message. The boys stared, fascinated, by the alligators, monitors and snakes in glass cases.

"They've seen these in zoos," said the boys' father, Rob Gerst. "But you don't see them this close or moving this much at the zoo."

P.D. Stuart and Ryan Sharp had their hands full. They are Humane Society junior volunteers and on Saturday afternoon they were in charge of a cage full of puppies from the shelter.

The boys, who volunteer as part of a community service project in Boy Scout Troop 5, made sure the puppies had water, cuddled them if they began whining and answered questions from those thinking about adopting.

And getting people to adopt animals from the Humane Society was one reason for having Pets on Parade.

"We want people to know we have animals to adopt," Litzelfelner said. "Even people who may not adopt will see us here and go tell their friends and neighbors."

Jennifer Hazel saw one puppy at Pets on Parade she couldn't resist. She took the plunge and was taking home an adorable beagle/Australian shepherd mix. She hopes her as-yet-unnamed puppy will get along with Roxy, a black and white "mutt" that Hazel also got from the Humane Society.

"It's a good way to get a dog," Hazel said of adopting from the shelter. "If you are going to get a dog, I think you might as well try to save one."