Love the Thurston County Fair and Old Dog Haven 

Trish Lynn and Thom Donitz and friends

JOLT staff photo

Northwest Beerwerks
420 Steele St SE
Olympia, WA 98501
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We love the Thurston County Fair, not so much for the rides, and food (however, I – Trish – get an elephant ear every year) but to see all the animals up close.  Fair exhibits come in a close second.   

This year, due to time restraints, we couldn’t see very many animals, but we did visit the Dog Barn, Poultry, Rabbits and Guinea Pigs. There were so many I didn’t get to, but you have the Cattle and Auctions, Swine, Sheep and all sorts of Poultry, and I hope I didn’t forget any.   

I talked to four young ladies in the 4-H Dog Barn and got a little information on each one and their dogs.  All won ribbons. 

• Lauren owns Rocky, a one-year-old Maltipoo. In case you are wondering what a Maltipoo is, it’s a cross between a Maltese and a Poodle (fairly new breed).  They are known for being intelligent, affectionate, playful and expressive.  Their life span is between 10 and 15 years and usually weigh between five and 20 lbs.  Not surprisingly, they are known as designer dogs.   

• Rachel Zahn has two dogs that she shows for 4-H, but they weren’t present at the fair.  Dee Dee is 3 years old, and Winter is 9 years old. Rachel and Winter have been in 4-H for nine years.  (Silly me; I forgot to get their breeds, so Rachel, if you see this article, please comment!) 

• Lilie Huber, who has been in 4-H for six years, owns Abbie, a 10-year-old Border Collie with three legs.   

• Claire Touney is another dog owner in 4-H. During her first three years in the organization, she showed guinea pigs; in the last three years, she has been showing Dexter, a Whitehair Pointer Mix.   

It was hard to get pictures of the dogs because they were in their crates relaxing, with electric fans running air through them.  There were a lot more owners and dogs, but Lilie, Claire, Rachel and Lauren were available to talk. 

My contact to get permission to talk with 4-H kids was April Stanke of the Muttz-K-Teers 4-H Dog Club.  There are two other 4-H Dog Clubs in this area: Diamonds in the Ruff and Helping Hounds.  

I wish I could have visited all the animal barns, but as I said, time was limited. I was able to get pictures of several signs describing dogs and rabbits. There were so many things to do at the Thurston County Fair, but, as you know, our column pertains to animals and pets. 

Can’t wait until next year so we can talk about other animals as well. 

Old Dog Haven 

One of the organizations I am involved with is holding a fundraiser soon, the Hops & Hounds Auction, on Saturday, August 17 from 2 to 5 pm at Northwest Beerworks, located at 420 Steele Street SE, Olympia, around the corner from Martin Way Diner. There will be a silent auction, buy it now opportunity (in case you can’t stay for the silent auction) possibly a food truck (still working on that), and a talk to describe what Old Dog Haven (ODH) is all about.  There will also be a short talk by two or three foster parents and their experiences with ODH and their fosters.   

Old Dog Haven is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide loving, safe homes for unadoptable senior dogs in western Washington.  It takes in dogs 8-years-old and older from local shelters, rescues, and individuals and places them in forever foster homes and also tends to their medical needs.  Old Dog Haven has helped over 8,000 dogs since 2004.  The dogs in our care live out their lives in their Old Dog Haven foster home as valued family members.  This local organization averages more than 300 dogs in care at one time in permanent foster homes. 

The reason they are fosters and not adoptees, is because Old Dog Haven must own the dogs, as they pay for all medical procedures, veterinarian visits, and prescriptions, including special dietary food.  This can be very expensive, so we must raise money for things such as this event, but even more important, is to spread the word about this organization.  

There is no actual location, like an adoption center, because we try to place the dog in a foster home temporarily in case we don’t have a permanent forever home yet.     

We hope to see you there, and I know you will be impressed with the excellent work that Old Dog Haven does to give these dogs a happy life with people who love them.  I have only had my foster Kixx, a 17-year-old Cockapoo mix, since March of 2023, but she fit in with my other 2 dogs immediately, and she’s been a happy part of our lives. 

Just askin’: Pet-friendly businesses?

If you know of a pet-friendly retailer, bar, restaurant, lodging or other business, please email us at pets@theJOLTnews.com and we’ll add them to our list.

Paws for Thoughts

The difference between humans and dogs is that dogs can't fake love.

Thom Donitz and Trish Lynn are neighbors and close friends who share their love of animals and wildlife. Trish and Thom are residents of Tumwater. Contact them at  pets@theJOLTnews.com.