DOGS ON PARADE IN THE SOUTH SUBURBS

The South Suburban Humane Society is currently in the midst of their second annual Dogs on Parade fundraiser. Seventeen dogs were painted this year by community businesses, organizations, and residents to display throughout the Village of Flossmoor from now until September. Photo Credit: South Suburban Humane Society
The South Suburban Humane Society is currently in the midst of their second annual Dogs on Parade fundraiser. Seventeen dogs were painted this year by community businesses, organizations, and residents to display throughout the Village of Flossmoor from now until September. Photo Credit: South Suburban Humane Society

Dogs On Parade In The South Suburbs

BY KATHERINE NEWMAN

The South Suburban Humane Society is currently in the midst of their second annual Dogs on Parade fundraiser. Seventeen dogs

were painted this year by community businesses, organizations, and residents to display throughout the Village of Flossmoor from now until September.

Last year was the first year the South Suburban Humane Society did the Dogs on Parade fundraiser. Emily Klehm, chief executive officer of the South Suburban Humane Society, was inspired by Chicago’s iconic Cows on Parade fundraiser that premiered in the summer of 1999.

“We approached local businesses to purchase a dog statue and then they decorate it, paint it, and we display them in the downtown Flossmoor area all summer. In September, at Flossmoor Fest, we will auction them off and all the proceeds come to South Suburban Hu-

mane Society and are used for taking care of homeless pets in our programs,” said Klehm.

Getting the fundraiser off the ground was actually quite easy according to Klehm. She was able to quickly connect with Cowpainters,

a Chicago based organization that specializes in the design and fabrication of fiberglass animal forms, particularly for public art projects.

The women-owned and operated company boasts an inventory of 350 animal models to choose from.

“I googled it and found out that Cow- painters is a company that developed really around the Cows on Parade and it’s located in Chicago. Partnering with them is super easy because we can just pick up the statues from their building in the city. It’s a women-owned company and they are really progressive and really want to work with communities to do these art projects. They have every kind of

statue imaginable and several different dog and cat statues,” said Klehm.

Last year the Dogs on Parade fundraiser took place in Homewood and raised about $10,000 for the South Suburban Humane Society. Th is year the decision was made to host the event in Flossmoor and even though not as many dogs were painted this year as last year, Klehm is hopeful that this year’s dogs will still be able to raise $8,000 to $10,000.

“It’s the second year so more people are aware of it and we just think the statues are really amazing this year so there is a good chance that even though there are fewer, we could still hit that fundraising goal,” said Klehm.

The money that is raised from the Dogs on Parade will go into what Klehm and the rest of the South Suburban Humane Society call the Frosty Fund. Named after a dog who was adopted from the shelter and which later had a battle with cancer, the Frosty Fund is fused to cover the veterinary costs of animals in the shelter with special medical needs. There can never be enough money in the Frosty Fund,

according to Klehm.

The painted dogs are currently on display throughout Flossmoor and will all be auctioned off on Sept. 8 in an online auction.

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