Pets & Animals

The first annual Puppypalooza to benefit Alaqua Animal Refuge's Unconditional Love Program will be held at Aaron Bessant Park in Panama City Beach on September 20 from 1-9pm. 
 

Alaqua Animal Refuge has released their much anticipated 2015 Hunks and Hounds calendar! Animal lovers can now pre-purchase a copy at www.hunksandhounds.com. Hunks and Hounds is set to be printed in October and will be available on the website and at in South Walton area stores throughout the year. 
 

A big thanks to all of our dedicated South Walton Turtle Watch volunteers for walking every inch of beach during nesting season to count nests, monitor hatchings, help turtles in danger, and keep an eye on our beaches - remember to give turtles and nests a wide berth, remove items from the beach at the end of the day, and fill in your holes! Thanks to Blue Mountain Beach resident and turtle watch volunteer Richard Fowlkes for sending us this great story and photos...
 

The 2014 Hurricane Season is here and the Walton County Sheriff’s Office, Walton County Emergency Management, and Alaqua Animal Refuge are teaming up to prepare Walton County pet owners to have a plan in place in the event of an evacuation.

Whether your pets are big or small, make sure:
•      Their immunizations are current and you have a copy of their records
•      They have a proper identification tag
•      They have a safe place to stay

Laurie Hood received the Daily Point of Light Award from President George H. W. Bush for going above and beyond to rescue abused, neglected, and homeless animals through her non-profit shelter, Alaqua Animal Refuge.

Laurie feels honored to be chosen as a Daily Point of Light recipient. Since 2007, she has worked to create a safe haven for animals in need, and has saved almost 10,000 animals in the process. 

SoWal local Brock Ellis had the experience of a lifetime recently when he got to swim with a group of seven manatees along the shore at Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort. Brock was able to capture exciting photos and video (below) of the manatees.

It's not uncommon to see manatees swimming east in South Walton in the Spring as they migrate up from Southwest Florida, and again swimming west to get back down south in the Fall. Brock works on the beach so has a front row seat for all the great wildlife action in the Gulf.

“I've got a turtle," South Walton Turtle Watch volunteer Bob Veltri shouted, as he scooped up the first turtle and held it gently in his gloved hand. Veltri was the first to dig in the sand as he and his companions looked for traces of the inhabitants of the nest.

Al Murphy, in charge of this night’s dig, brought over a bucket filled with damp sand.
 

"Very gently put him in the bucket," Murphy instructed.

Celebrate Earth Day with the experts at the E.O. Wilson Biophilia Center on Saturday, April 5, 2014. The event is a community festival geared towards appreciating, conserving and learning about the world we live in.

You and your four-legged friends are invited to come to the Shops of Grayton on March 1 and be a part of history. Dog Daze is a fundraiser for Alaqua Animal Refuge and for $50 you can have a professional artist help you add your pup's portrait to the "New Dogs of Grayton" wall of canine fame.

Families and friends, furry and otherwise, are invited to the Third Annual Rosemary Beach Unleashed event coming up on Sunday, Nov. 17. The community festival is a fun filled afternoon on East Long Green from 1 to 4 p.m. This year, dogs can participate in a variety of competitions such as children’s handling, best trick, dog fashion show, and agility demonstrations. Music, bake sale, children's dance performances, and photo opps will entertain one and all. Pet adoptions, pet-icures and "purr"fect tie-dye shirts are all part of the fun day in Rosemary Beach.