ORLANDO, Fla., Jan. 28, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Celebrating the 20th anniversary of Paws in the Park – the SPCA of Central Florida's largest community event of the year – Animal Planet's star of "It's Me or the Dog," Victoria Stilwell, will join Pack Leader Orlando City Commissioner Patty Sheehan at Lake Eola on February 8, 2014. The fundraising walk around iconic Lake Eola begins at 9:00 am (register online at www.orlandopets.org/pawsinthepark) and the free dog training series Victoria Stilwell's "Positively, Live!" begins at the Walt Disney Amphitheater at 10:00 am.
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Walt Disney World© Resort is hosting the Disney Kids and Family Zone, with free hands-on activities that are fun for the entire family, including four-legged family members. The world famous Splash Dogs® will also be participating in dog diving competitions for the first time ever at special dog diving facilities built just for Paws in the Park. A $10 Canine Sports pass, purchased on-site during Paws in the Park, allows your dog to participate in all of the Canine Sports activities.
"We are pulling out all of the stops to celebrate the powerful relationships between dogs and people for the 20th anniversary of Paws in the Park," says SPCA of Central Florida CEO Kerri Burns. "More than 5,000 human party animals are anticipated joining in the fun at this year's event which for the first time includes a Food Truck Rally at Lake Eola." Walt Disney World© Resort, Merial, and Banfield Pet Hospital join with WFTV's 9 Family Connection and the Orlando Sentinel as Leader of the Pack sponsors for the 2014 Paws in the Park.
The special day-long programming from the amphitheater stage includes Joel Slaven's Professional Animals at Noon and Atlanta's K9 Cops with Victoria Stilwell at 2:00 pm. Happy Paws Pet Resort is hosting the Canine Sports Arena with both agility and fly-ball demonstrations and public participation opportunities. Petango is sponsoring a $10 microchip clinic for dogs on-site at the event. Paws in the Park is free to the public with specialty vendors and a food truck rally taking place around the lake.
About SPCA of Central Florida
Founded in 1937, more than 14,000 homeless dogs and cats will turn to the SPCA of Central Florida for caring, compassion and hope through our animal shelters this year. Our highly-skilled veterinarians will help and heal an additional 45,000 animals in our veterinary clinics. Providing shelter for animals in crisis, disaster response efforts, and "Meals on Wheels" for dogs and cats in need helps thousands more animals each year. Our programs are supported entirely by donations from the communities that we serve and we receive no funding from national organizations. For more information about the SPCA of Central Florida visit www.orlandopets.org.
