Roots & Wings Online

It was a chilly spring day for the heart-warming Paws in the Park event held at Town Green in Ladera Ranch Saturday, April 13. The annual event brought humans, canines, and the community together over their love for their pets.

There was a sense of fun, enthusiasm, and camaraderie among those who attended as pet lovers and their dogs connected at the two-hour social. Dogs lapped puppuchinos served by the Teen Leadership Council, and children had fun having their faces painted and playing with balloon-shaped puppies crafted by balloon artists provided by Ladera Ranch Community Services (LARCS). Ladera resident DJ Talon spun records and set the festive mood with his sounds, brightening a cloudy day and bringing the beats to the otherwise sleepy Town Green.  

One of the highlights was the 30-minute, high-energy, frisbee-catching demonstration and freestyle routines by Disc Dogs of Southern California. The performance included five different dogs performing various tricks with their human coaches and a disc dog race. Attendees enjoyed the ‘pat and chat’ with the dogs and their human partners - patting the dogs and chatting with the human companions. 

There was no shortage of pet-related vendors from which attendees could purchase new collars, leashes, or toys. Dogs had fun going from booth to booth, getting free treats offered by the vendors, and everyone had a chance to fall in love with the cats and dogs up for adoption.