Location: Little Harbor, Jost van Dyke
Today we had an early 6:45 wake up to make it onto the dock in time. Prior to today, all we were told was that we were going to a dog show. I personally had no idea how we could combine a full day of service and dogs, but we definitely managed. Today was the annual dog show that the BVI Humane Society puts on to raise money for the organization. Sadly, stray dogs and cats are a bit of an invasive species in the BVI. They are known to eat rock iguanas and other endangered species on the islands and are seen as a bit of a pest sometimes. Spaying and neutering, as well as encouraging adoptions, are effective ways to mitigate the issue, and that is exactly what this event was about. With various vendors, a silent auction, and prizes for the pups competing, it was a great way to get the community together and raise a bit of money. When we arrived at nine everybody got straight to work. We set up tents, made signs, organized booths, and eagerly searched for any way that we could help. Eventually, people began to trickle in but more importantly was that the dogs arrived. Dogs from across the islands came and registered while an announcer interviewed dogs, and we helped sell various items. The contest began with the fun categories. Categories like most stylish, “low riders,” best tail wag, and best sausage eaters. When we weren’t working, we were watching intently and rooting for our favorite pups. After all the competition was done, a lovable Great Dane named Shaffer won best in show. At that point, we had worked our tails off and sold 730$ in baked goods over the course of a few hours. In other words… we were beat. But there was still a dance to get to, and we finished the night on Jost Van Dyke.