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Fitchburg Dog Park

Fitchburg top dog named, student wins dog license poster contest

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FITCHBURG — An 11-month-old adorable Boston Terrier named Rafi was recently given the title of the top dog in the city and an elementary school student was honored as the winner of the sixth annual Dog License Awareness Poster Contest.

Rafi’s humans Jared Graves and his husband Andres Hoyos-Cespedes bid on and won the first dog license of the year at the annual Puppy Love Auction in February. All proceeds from the event benefit Friends of Fitchburg DOGS, Inc., the nonprofit organization that along with the city works to maintain the spacious dog park at Coolidge Park that opened in August 2018.

Upwards of $1,500 was raised through this year’s auction and a total of $9,000 since its inception in 2017. Funds are used to maintain the dog park including paying for all the poop bags, trash bags, pooper scoopers and everything else needed to keep it a nice place where dogs can run free.

Jared Graves with he and his husband's adorable 11-month-old Boston Terrier Rafi, who was recently named number one pooch in Fitchburg as part of the annual fundraiser for the city dog park. (COURTESY SAM SQUAILIA)
Jared Graves with he and his husband’s adorable 11-month-old Boston Terrier Rafi, who was recently named number one pooch in Fitchburg as part of the annual fundraiser for the city dog park. (COURTESY SAM SQUAILIA)

Previous number one tagged dogs include Zelda in 2017, Bartley in 2018, Cash in 2019, and now Rafi.

“We’re excited for Rafi to have been selected as Fitchburg’s #1 dog of the year,” Graves proudly said. “As residents of the city for the past two years we were eager to welcome a dog into our family soon after moving here. Rafi is turning one year old this month and he’s already established himself as a sweet and playful little brother to our two cats, Fabiola and Lupita. We love to explore the local parks and forests together and of course visit with our pup-friends at the city dog park.”

In other canine news

Be PAWSitive Therapy Pets and the Fitchburg Police Department gave out certificates and goody bags to the winners of the sixth annual Dog License Awareness Poster Contest at the April 3 School Committee meeting.

Crocker Elementary School fifth grader Wren Wibbin Winter was awarded first place for her colorful and creative representation of several happy dogs that reminds people to ‘Love Your Dog License Your Dog.’

The winners of the 6th annual Dog License Awareness Poster Contest, which drew over 700 entries this year, received trophies and recognition from Be PAWSitive Therapy Pets and the Fitchburg Police Department at the April 4 City Council meeting. Front row, l. to r. Wren Winter, who was awarded first place, and fellow city students Thiago Huertas Reyes, Jorge West, Janayhia Guzman, and Angel Guzman. Back row, l. to r. Fitchburg City Clerk Joanna Bilotta, Fitchburg Mayor DiNatale, Fitchburg Police Lieutenant Jeffrey Howe, and Be PAWSitive Therapy Pets Director and longtime City Councilor Sally Cragin. (COURTESY SAM SQUAILIA)
The winners of the 6th annual Dog License Awareness Poster Contest, which drew over 700 entries this year, received trophies and recognition from Be PAWSitive Therapy Pets and the Fitchburg Police Department at the April 4 City Council meeting. Front row, left to right: Wren Winter, who was awarded first place, and fellow city students Thiago Huertas Reyes, Jorge West, Janayhia Guzman, and Angel Guzman. Back row, left to right: Fitchburg City Clerk Joanna Bilotta, Fitchburg Mayor Stephen DiNatale, Fitchburg Police Lt. Jeffrey Howe, and Be PAWSitive Therapy Pets Director and City Councilor Sally Cragin. (COURTESY SAM SQUAILIA)

According to a press release Police Chief Ernie Martineau was among the contest judges and he explained that he thought Wren’s winning drawing with many different types of dogs “reflected the diversity of Fitchburg, which is a really important part of the city that we all love.”

Wren’s drawing was made into a poster that will be shared in the community to remind pet owners to get their dog licensed. She, along with the other student winners — Angel Guzman, Janayhia Guzman, Thiago Huertas Reyes, and Jorge West — received trophies and recognition from Be PAWSitive and the police department at the April 4 City Council meeting.

Crocker Elementary School fifth grader Wren Wibbin Winter was awarded first place in the 6th annual Dog License Awareness Poster Contest for her colorful and creative drawing featuring several happy dogs that reminds people to 'Love Your Dog License Your Dog.' (COURTESY WREN WIBBIN WINTER/SAM SQUAILIA)
Crocker Elementary School fifth grader Wren Wibbin Winter was awarded first place in the 6th annual Dog License Awareness Poster Contest for her colorful and creative drawing featuring several happy dogs that reminds people to ‘Love Your Dog License Your Dog.’ (COURTESY WREN WIBBIN WINTER/SAM SQUAILIA)

Be PAWSitive Director and a longtime City Councilor Sally Cragin organizes the contest, which is open to all city school children in first through fifth grade.

“This was a record-breaking year, more than 700 drawings were submitted, and we thank Mrs. Morrison, art teacher at Crocker Elementary School, for making this contest an all-school activity,” Cragin shared in the release.

The annual community event is sponsored by the Fitchburg Police Department, Fitchburg City Clerk’s Office, Be PAWSitive Therapy Pets and Community Education and Friends of Fitchburg DOGS, Inc.

Return of Fitchburg Dog Park Festival attracts pack of pooches

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Last month marked the return of the annual Fitchburg Dog Park Festival, which aims to bring awareness to the space at Coolidge Park dedicated to furry friends and their humans. (DANIELLE RAY/SENTINEL & ENTERPRISE)
Last month marked the return of the annual Fitchburg Dog Park Festival, which aims to bring awareness to the space at Coolidge Park dedicated to furry friends and their humans. (DANIELLE RAY/SENTINEL & ENTERPRISE)

FITCHBURG — A sizeable pack of four-footed furry friends and their humans attended the recent Dog Park Festival, an annual event aiming to bring awareness to the spacious area at Coolidge Park where pets can run free.

“People and their dogs absolutely love the dog park,” said Friends of Fitchburg DOGS, Inc. President Sam Squailia. The nonprofit organization supports the dog park, low cost pet vaccination clinics and local pet therapy teams.

“Coolidge Park is already the most popular park in the city. Add in the dog park and it is quite the destination park in the city,” Squailia added.

The festival drew hundreds of attendees, dozens of vendors, and area K-9 officers and their partners, who all paused for a moment of silence for state police K-9 Frankie, who was shot and killed in the line of duty in July.

Friends of Fitchburg DOGS volunteer Joe Bowen, who led the moment of silence, said he enjoys being part of the dog park team.

“I just love doing things that build community,” he said.

Friends of Fitchburg DOGS volunteer Joe Bowen led a moment of silence at the annual Dog Park Festival on Aug. 27 for Frankie, the state police K-9 who was shot and killed in the line of duty in July. (DANIELLE RAY/SENTINEL & ENTERPRISe)
Friends of Fitchburg DOGS volunteer Joe Bowen led a moment of silence at the annual Dog Park Festival on Aug. 27 for Frankie, the state police K-9 who was shot and killed in the line of duty in July. (DANIELLE RAY/SENTINEL & ENTERPRISe)

Squailia said the group was thrilled to have the festival return after postponing it due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the last one was held in 2019.

“Due to COVID we put a pause on events for the past couple years, which has hindered our fundraising efforts for sustaining our dog park maintenance, so our dog park volunteers were excited to get back into our annual festival for 2022,” Squailia said. “We kept it a bit smaller this year but still had an amazing turnout.”

Food trucks at the event included Sun Kim Bop, Sabrosa Venezuela, and Samoreray’s — their first event with their new food truck ahead of them opening a restaurant in Leominster fed the crowds.

Vendors including K9 Pawformance, Leominster Animal Hospital, Massachusetts Vest-a-Dog, NewVue Communities and NoWoCo Pride offered a variety of resources and there was a mobile dog groomer, photo booth, dog themed raffle prizes, dog park swag available for purchase, free microchips courtesy of Mooka Pet ID, and River Styx Brewing was on hand with cold beers.

Kids and families played on the adjacent playground and scores of dogs happily ran around the two double gated fenced in spaces, one for dogs under 30 lbs. and one for larger breeds, and a tongue in cheek Mount Ruffmore sign hangs on the fence.

“This dog park is crazy well used,” Squailia commented at the event.

Last month marked the return of the annual Fitchburg Dog Park Festival, which aims to bring awareness to the space at Coolidge Park dedicated to furry friends and their humans. (DANIELLE RAY/SENTINEL & ENTERPRISE)
Aug. 27 marked the return of the annual Fitchburg Dog Park Festival, which aims to bring awareness to the space at Coolidge Park dedicated to furry friends and their humans. (DANIELLE RAY/SENTINEL & ENTERPRISE)

She said she was “alerted” to a Board of Park Commissioners public outreach meeting in May 2015 “to interested persons in the community to help create a dog park” and immediately “hit the ground running with our volunteer team,” which includes DOGS Vice President Brenda Coveno-Watson and officer Robert Talbot among other dedicated citizens.

Friends of Fitchburg DOGS was established as a nonprofit in July of that year and the dog park grand opening took place in August 2018.

When asked what the response has been from area dog owners to have a place to bring their pups to, Squailia joked that “beyond just seeing the happy dogs, we can tell by the very heavy bags of dog poop our volunteers regularly clean up” indicating the area is well used.

“You see so many dogs at the park, and who knew there were so many different dog breeds in the city?” she said. “You will when you bring your dog to go play.”

Squailia herself has two shelter dogs, Dynamite and Ruff, both “mutt” labs. Although she doesn’t get to bring them to the park too often, she usually goes to empty the trash and help clean up.When she does get the opportunity to bring her dogs, they thoroughly enjoy it.

“Sometimes I’ll bring them to play when I do the dirty work, they love it,” she said.

Gardner K-9 Police Officer Josh Willis and his 19 month old Belgian Malinos partner Rocky greet a family at the Fitchburg Dog Park Festival on Aug. 27. (DANIELLE RAY/SENTINEL & ENTERPRISE)
Gardner K-9 Police Officer Josh Willis and his 19 month old Belgian Malinos partner Rocky greet a family at the Fitchburg Dog Park Festival on Aug. 27. (DANIELLE RAY/SENTINEL & ENTERPRISE)

While fundraising “wasn’t really the focus for this year’s festival,” Squailia said they “hope to do more fundraising coming up soon to pay for all the poop bags and trash bags and pooper scoopers and everything else needed to maintain the park into the future.”

An upcoming low-cost vaccine clinic is scheduled for 9 a.m. to noon, Oct. 1, at the Fitchburg Fire Department headquarters located 33 North St. The annual Howl-O-Ween Pet Costume Contest will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Oct. 30, at Coolidge Park.

For more information visit http://www.fitchburgdogpark.org and follow Fitchburg Dog Park on Facebook and Instagram and Friends of Fitchburg DOGS, Inc. on Facebook.