Lang used to be a top earner in another Capital Region dog walk, but as Dakota got older the pup could no longer handle
the route. So Lang, a Ballston Spa resident, decided to start one closer to home to benefit her local shelter. “I love my dog a lot. I feel really bad that I cannot go to the shelter and adopt pets because I want to bring them all home,” Lang says. “I can raise money instead.” The third annual Busy Bone 500 will be held from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Saturday at the Saratoga County Fairgrounds in Ballston Spa. Last year, 78 attendees (and their canine friends) raised $14,000. Recognizing that economic times are tough, Lang (and Dakota) hope to raise at least $10,000 for the shelter this year. The event includes a walk, a silent auction in which participants can win one of 30 gift baskets, a blessing of the pets ceremony and contests. Pet products and refreshments will also be for sale. Participants are welcome to register the day of the event, Lang says, and the walk will be held rain or shine. Those who bring their dogs should keep them on leash and be ready to provide proof of rabies vaccination. Money from last year’s walk went toward buying a sterilization unit so the shelter could spay and neuter animals on premises. Funds from Lang’s first walk have been earmarked for a fenced-in play area for dogs at the new building the shelter plans to open. No plans have been set yet for this year’s funds. Lang also organizes a chili and chowder festival to benefit the shelter in the fall. That event is heading into its second year. She didn’t have fundraising experience before founding the Busy Bone, but Dakota provided her all the inspiration she needed.
“It’s just me and a group of girlfriends that love animals,” she says.