Pets, people bond at Dog Jog

The race was held by the College of Veterinary Medicine and benefited the CMHS

By Jessica Silverman

Published Oct. 4, 2009

The 16th annual MU College of Veterinary Medicine Dog Jog, a 5k run/2.5k walk, took place Sunday morning by the vet school, drawing in 110 participants with or without dogs.

The Dog Jog is a fundraiser for the Veterinary Medicine class of 2011, said Dr. John Dodam, Veterinary Medicine and Surgery department chairman. It also benefits the Central Missouri Humane Society.

“It’s been going on for about 15 years,” said Ginny Dodam, wife of John Dodam. “It’s a tradition with my husband and daughter. They’re walking, I’m just a cheerleader.”

Ginny Dodam, who runs the vet’s non-profit bookstore, has participated in the walk with her daughter Casey since she was little. She said Casey had always wanted to win the walk.

“She’d walk really fast,” Ginny Dodam said. “One year she was the first walker.”

Truman State University student Casey Dodam said people can bring their dogs, but they don’t need one in order to partake in the festivities. The Dodams’ three dogs, a yellow lab named Daisy and two Cavalier King Charles spaniels called Lucy and Teddy, participated in the walk.

The vet school offered refreshments before and after the race. Souvenirs were also sold during the event. Dogs donned gold and black polos and bandanas advertising the department and the race.

Event coordinator Sarah Spidel, a third-year vet student, said half of the proceeds go to the CMHS. The rest goes toward class events and a class gift.

“We alternate every couple of years with Second Chance,” Spidel said of the organization benefited.

The funds were collected through raffle tickets. If a participant’s raffle ticket number was chosen from a can, the participant could choose a prize.

“Some are not applicable, like one prize is a bike tune-up but the person may not have a bike,” Spidel said. “So they can pick whatever prize.”

Spidel said though there are competitive runners, the event is mostly just for fun.

“It’s to promote physical fitness with you and your dog,” Spidel said. “It’s also to show where the vet school is and get people to be aware of us.”

Andy Emerson, second place winner with a dog in the 5k race, said his lab-shepherd mix Rusty has been active in the Dog Jog since 1997. His chocolate lab Bruno has also raced since 2003.

“Rusty won five times when he was young,” Emerson said. “The first few, I wasn’t fast enough for him. I’ve gotten faster.”

Emerson said the running time becomes slower with each mile.

“They’re not steady,” Emerson said about his dogs, “They’re excited. I’m surprised he’s not barking incessantly right now.”

The winning 5k run time with a dog was 15:42 by Brian Hutsel. Emerson’s time was 15:50.

“Bruno’s 90 pounds of muscle,” Emerson said. “He’s great up those hills.”

Vet student Josh Bell, a dogless 5k runner, said he wasn’t worried about running with all the dogs and their owners.

“It’s all for fun,” Bell said. “I like dogs. If they get in my way, I’ll probably just reach down and pet them.”

CMHS volunteer Tabitha Finch brought three dogs from the shelter to the Dog Jog. Finch said goal of CMHS is to remind the dogs what it’s like to have a family and a home.

“It’s nice to get them out,” Finch said. “They’re stressed in the kennels. That’s how shelter life is.”