Gulfport’s Get Rescued is leashed up and ready for its 13th annual event on Saturday, February 25, 2017. This event has grown faster than your favorite Big Red Dog, with over 45 rescue groups participating and more than 1000 pets ready to find their “fur-ever” homes with you! This is the largest event ever, with groups traveling to our little town of Gulfport from every side of the Tampa Bay and beyond. From as far east as Windermere and as far north as Brooksville, animal rescues will converge from far and wide. Over 250 animals are in need of a happy home from just down in Palmetto alone, with a total of more than 1000 pups, kitties, birds, bunnies and even skunks ready for you to be their special person. These amazing rescue groups will be traveling more than a combined 1,700 miles to be with us!
You will have the opportunity to meet with many of these cuddly creatures from 10am to 6pm on Beach Boulevard. We want to raise money and awareness, and the furbabies are hoping that you want to raise them! If you aren’t looking to find your fine furry or feathered friend, there will still be plenty for you to do. There will be vendors from all walks of life, selling animal related products and crafts, artwork and unique pieces that you won’t find anywhere else.
Other pet-related activities include pet care education, a food and supplies drive, animal training demos, a Weiner Dog Derby, live pet portraits, contests, our annual Bark-B-Que event, food, music and more. Bring your own critter companion, and join thousands of other visitors in Downtown Gulfport to participate in one of our area’s most beloved traditions. All well-behaved people (and their surely polite pets) are welcome to the daytime event, and it won’t cost a cent to attend! Don’t worry about paying for parking either, as plenty of convenient complimentary parking will be available all around the area.
New this year! Official event T-shirts, Live Pet Portraits, Weiner Dog Derby and Dog Bar St. Pete Shuttle:
Jeffy Tees will be joining us as a Vendor and fundraising for the event, offering Gulfport’s Get Rescued Logo T-shirts for both adults and kids. A 50% of the proceeds will be donated back to Gulfport’s Get Rescued. And there is more! Jeffy Tees will print made to order Tees of either your favorite fur baby pic or the Get Rescued Logo while you wait during the event. Adult Size Shirts either GGR Logo or your pets photo will be $20.00. If you want both, your pets photo and event logo there will be a $5.00 upcharge. Kids size shirts will be available as well starting at $10.00. Pre-orders can be placed at this link: https://www.jeffytees.com/store/category/special-events/subcategory/gulfport-get-rescued.
North Carolina artist Emily Eve Weinstein will travel to Gulfport where she will be onsite all day long creating live pet portraitures every 15-20 minutes and donating 50% of her proceeds back to the event. When Emily was 3 she determined that her favorite subject was the family cat. A few decades later, not much has changed, however the addition of landscapes, mixed media, recycled materials, and large projects featuring books and murals have broadened her horizons. Emily’s artwork often features her foster kitty’s who need fur-ever homes. Bookings are available for Saturday, February 25, between 10:00 AM and 6:00 PM. To pre-book your Pet Portrait session, please contact Emily Eve Weinstein at [email protected] or (919) 942-2607 / (919) 360-6980. You can preview her works at WeinsteinArt.com.
Don’t miss the Weiner Dog Derby! The Florida Wiener Dog Derby and Florida Dachshund Rescue are proud to apart of Gulfport Gets Rescued and host the finest in dachshund racing and small breed races during the event. Races and contests include Pure Breed Dachshund races and Weiner Wanna-be small breed races. Pure Breed dachshunds and small breed dogs can register early online for a $7.00 donation at: www.floridawienerdogderby.com. Registration on the day of the event will be $10 if there’s available space for additional racers. They’ll hold 3 additional fun contests for a $5 donation starting with the P-nut Butter Lick, Best K-9 Kisser and Best Nose contests open to ALL breed dogs. The top times will be posted and ribbons award to the top three winners.
Dog Bar St. Pete and Salty’s Gulfport will be offering complimentary Dog Bar Bus rides for you and your canine companions from 10-6 PM. Dog Bus shuttle times: Pick up at Dog Bar, drop off at Salty’s Gulfport: 12:30 & 3:15. Pick up at Saltys, drop off at Dog Bar St. Pete 2:45 & 6:00. Additional trips may be added as needed.
Returning Traditions!
Salty’s, a popular bar & grill on Gulfport’s Shore Boulevard, will be hosting the 4th annual Bark-B-Que fun-raiser from 11AM to 6PM. There will be food for you and your pup. For a donation of $5.00, get a burger (pulled pork sandwich or two hot dogs), a bag of chips and a soda. A $2.00 donation gets your puppy pal a frozen “Doggie Daiquiri” of peanut butter & yogurt. For those of you with a sweet fang, there will be a bake sale with goodies galore to be enjoyed by all. For those of you who howl over prizes (and who doesn’t?) there will be a “Pick-A-Prize” raffle with items presented by our very generous donors. Choose your prize, cross your paws and hope to win! And don’t bark too loud, because there will also be a silent auction. Skip your cat nap and join the fun. All proceeds will be split among the many rescues who will be bringing their beautiful animals from near and far. Don’t drop the leash on them!
The animals are going to claim the streets of downtown Gulfport as their own for two traditional events. The Adoptable Pet Parade will show off furry friends of all sizes. Fetch your new best friend as you watch some of the most adorable and adoptable animals strut their stuff! Leash up your pet for the costume contest and see how your pal stacks up to the pack for cuteness and creativity! If your fur baby loves the spotlight, this “claws-tume” contest at Get Rescued is definitely for them (and you!). The pet who gets the loudest barks and howls is the winner!
Tails at Twilight is the evening celebration of the Gulfport’s Get Rescued festival. After the pets enter dreamland in their doggie beds and kitty cots, their humans are invited to a lively evening of fun. Like the daytime event, donations will go to the important cause of animal rescues. The event will include dancing and live music, catered hors d’oeuvre, and a cash bar. Festive décor will add to the party atmosphere inside the beautiful Gulfport Casino. Proceeds from ticket sales, after expenses, will be donated to rescue groups participating in the evening event. Opportunity drawings will take place during the party, and live and silent auctions will offer a chance to support participating non-profit rescue groups. A wide variety of auction items will be available to bid on including travel, hotel stays, art, wine and food, pet accessories, restaurant gift certificates, an African Safari and much more. Rescue groups provide their own items and will receive 100% of proceeds from their auctions. Tickets for the Get Rescued Evening Celebration are a $25 donation. Advance tickets are recommended, but a limited number of tickets may be available at the door on Saturday, February 25 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Gulfport Casino Ballroom, 5500 Shore Blvd. South. For more information on Tails at Twilight, or to purchase advance tickets, please go to www.VisitGulfportFlorida.com or contact Lacey Glass by phone at (813) 495-9039 or via email at [email protected].
With the help of our very hard working sponsors we expect more than 3 TONS of pet food will be distributed to participating rescue groups! Visitors and attendees are encouraged to bring donations of unopened dog and cat food, cat litter and pet supplies. The drive-by drop-off location on the day of the event will be conveniently located at the Historic Gulfport Casino & Ballroom on Shore Blvd. Donations prior to event can be dropped off at Stellas, Pet Supermarket, Reefdog Gifts & Grooming, O’Maddy’s and Pasadena Pet Motel. All contributions will be distributed to the participating rescues on the day of the event. Please be sure to support our sponsors who made the largest pet supplies drive in our history happen! The New Barker, Rescue Pink, Pasadena Pet Motel, STK9, Pet Supermarket, Reefodog Gifts & Grooming, Stella’s and O’Maddy’s.
These wonderful showcases are a must-see for any animal lover. It’s an event we can ALL get into!
For more information on Gulfport’s Get Rescued, visit www.GulfportsGetRescued.com, VisitGulfportFlorida.com or www.facebook.com/GetRescued or contact Suzanne King at 727-322-5217 / email [email protected]. Pet friendly vendors and rescue groups can download the applications at www.SIKPromotions.com under the vendor info tab.