Over 3,000 Mainers and their furry friends came together for the 10^th Annual Pet Rock in the Park hosted by Portland Veterinary Emergency and Specialty Care (PVESC) and Portland Radio Group’s REWIND 100.9 FM which returned to Portland’s Deering Oaks Park in August 2021 after a one-year hiatus due to the global pandemic.

More than 70 vendors, shelters, rescues, animal welfare advocates, food purveyors and music groups took part in a joyful celebration of all things pet.  The event raised nearly $5,000 to benefit Animal Cancer Foundation’s comparative oncology research grants program.  PVESC donated all the proceeds from their booth and Portland Radio Group staff organized and publicized the event on its many radio stations throughout Maine, all to promote animal welfare and to raise awareness of ACF’s core mission to find a cure for pet and human cancer.

Barbara Cohen, Executive Director of ACF says, “ACF owes a special debt of gratitude to event sponsor’s Dr. Marta Agrodnia and Dr. Gail Mason of PVESC and their amazing staff who volunteer for the event each year, as well as to Portland Radio Group and Anna Wlodarczyk for organizing this year’s event.  We are especially pleased that this event helps us to fund groundbreaking cancer research while simultaneously helping rescue and shelter pets seeking forever homes here in Maine.”

ACF’s raffle basket items were generously donated to the organization by Maine SeaBags and goodies filling the bag were donated by Loyal Companion and won by Cassie G., mom to agility and champion trick dog Beau a five-year-old Standard Poodle Beagle cross.  Cassie told ACF she lost her beloved Cole, a toy poodle at age 17 this year, likely due to cancer (you can see Beau – his raffle haul – and his attachment to his brother Cole in the photos below).  Congratulations Cassie and Beau!

We thank everyone who participated in Pet Rock in the Park for their generosity of spirit and for sharing their pets and their day with all of us.  See you again next year on Sunday, August 28, 2022 in Deering Oaks Park, Portland, Maine.