Dogs, their people come out for Rangeley Best Dog on Earth Day

RANGELEY — The Rangeley Lakes Chamber of Commerce and Rangeley Health and Wellness recently held the second annual Best Dog on Earth Day event — a celebration of dogs and Earth Day.
Participants and their dogs faced a brisk but sunny morning as they ventured out onto the trail for a one-to-three-mile fun run/walk, returning to the Chamber of Commerce for a variety of activities.

The Franklin County Animal Shelter was onsite, providing adoption information and low-cost nail trims, microchips and flea/tick treatments. A portion of the proceeds from the event are being donated to the shelter.
Pampered Paws provided ear cleaning, and the Rangeley Lakes Heritage Trust provided information on their programs and hiking trails, all of which are dog-friendly.
Each participant received a free packet of wildflower seeds in recognition of Earth Day and a raffle ticket for prize baskets of items donated by local businesses. The lucky winners were Katie Emerson, Robin Wilkey, Pamela Kay and Nate Howgate.

Winners of the canine contests were determined by applause from the participants. The winners were:
Biggest Dog — Lucky, owned by Karen Seaman.
Smallest Dog — Bosco, owned by Robin & Tom Wilkey.
Best Owner-Canine Look-Alike — Gracie and owner Jane Landry.
Prettiest Girl — Willow, owned by Jacqueline Knowles.
Most Handsome Boy — Leo, owned by Gemma Leghorn.
The Rangeley Lakes Chamber of Commerce and Rangeley Health and Wellness developed the idea to provide a fun event that would bring the community together, promote physical activity, support animal adoption, provide educational information about protecting the environment and support local businesses.

PHOTO: Contestants size each other up during registration at Best Dog on Earth Day. (Submitted photo)