Elks Club Hosts ‘Dog Days of Summer’

The Elks put on an event to celebrate the dogs.

The “Dog Days of Summer,” held on Saturday at Elks Lodge 2010 on the East Trail in Naples, invited canines and their human companions to come out for “a tail-wagging day of summer fun,” with special emphasis on teaching (the humans) how to deal with the situation should their dogs ingest harmful opioids.

If you thought that opioid overdoses by dogs were not a pressing health issue, you’re not alone. Dogs are not seeking out illegal drugs such as heroin, and people who have such substances wouldn’t seem likely to want to share them with their canine companions.

But even law-abiding citizens can use prescription medications such as oxycodone, hydrocodone, or fentanyl, and dogs could access meds that fell to the floor or were left open. Contact with fentanyl-laced substances during a walk or in a public area is also a possible scenario, and canines working as police dogs or in search operations could be exposed. Presumably, the law enforcement officers would be up on dealing with the situation.

For the rest of us, treatment for animals is essentially the same as for humans in an overdose situation. The key is having quick access to Narcan, an over-the-counter nasal spray that revives unconscious OD victims.

Denise Holmes, drug awareness committee chairperson for the Elks lodge and primary organizer of the Dog Days event, said the treatment could be more important than many realize.

“People say to me, ‘Why do I need Narcan for my dog? I don’t do drugs.’ I tell them, ‘Oh yes, you do.’ Lots of medications we take could be harmful to pets. Say I use OxyContin for pain, and I drop my pill because I’m old. My dog takes my oxy and overdoses. But now I have Narcan,” said Holmes.

Narcan, or naloxone, is available free of charge on Marco Island at the City of Marco Island Fire-Rescue Station 50 at 1280 San Marco Rd., and online from Families of Grace at Lift the Fog – www.Fog12.org. It is also available for purchase without a prescription at many pharmacies. In 2022, almost 4,000 people – 3,969, according to a MIFD handout – died of an opioid-related overdose in Florida. Statistics for dog overdoses are not available.

Families of Grace, in the person of Vice President Carrie Holmes, with her dog Gracie, the organization’s mascot, is helping to spread the word. A number of other pet-related groups, agencies, trainers, and caregivers were also present in the Elks meeting room.

Chery and Joe Musser, volunteers with Collier County’s Domestic Animal Services (DAS), showed up with Blanca and Harley, just two of the approximately 75 dogs available for adoption at DAS. The two dogs were well-behaved, apart from wrapping Chery up in a tangle of leashes, and seemingly unfazed by all the many other dogs throughout the room.

“We want to bring awareness of all the adoptions that are available,” said Joe. In addition to the dogs, they said, DAS has over 100 cats and kittens hoping to find a forever home – or even someone to foster them for a while. Animals available to adopt may be viewed in person at DAS at 7610 Davis Blvd., or online at the DAS section of the county’s website at colliercountyfl.gov. With sponsorship from Petco, they are running a pet adoption event from June 27 through June 29 with adoption fees waived.

Connie Jedrick from Sabal Palm Animal Hospital had a table at the Dog Days event. She addressed another, perhaps more likely perilous scenario than doggie ODs – cane toads. Dogs who lick or ingest these amphibians are in mortal danger and need treatment immediately. People should rinse and swab their mouths “sideways, to remove the toxin without letting the dog swallow it,” said Jedrick. Administering Benadryl to keep their airway from closing up is another useful treatment, and veterinary care should be sought at once.

If you find a cane toad where your dog could or did find it, you can do everyone (other than the toad) a favor by removing it from the population. Authorities, including Florida Fish & Wildlife (FWC), suggest putting it into a bag in your freezer, but a shovel is also effective and quicker.

Jedrick was also distributing literature for SNIP Collier, the spay and neuter initiative program. Their motto is “we can’t adopt our way out of pet overpopulation.” In 2022, they neutered 4,279 dogs and cats.

Brian Kamp from the Elks Club was selling raffle tickets for a “Bark on the Ark” cruise, a pet-friendly boat excursion to Keewaydin Island provided by Pure Florida. Ron Heldebrandt, Southwest Florida Drug Awareness Program chairman for the Elks, was handing out a coloring book with drawings by children urging “Don’t get stuck in a life of drugs!!”

Among the visiting dogs, there was a preponderance of pint-sized Pomeranians, several with pink hair dye added to their natural fur color, but one larger dog stood out. Rodeo, the Great Dane, weighs in at 145 lbs., said his owner, Lisa Frey of New Directions Dog Training. She raises service dogs, trained to “help mitigate a person’s disabilities,” including tasks such as getting out of a chair.

While the classic “dog days” of summer lie ahead, traditionally in July and August, Saturday’s event was a nice chance for dogs and their owners to socialize and learn about the concerns that come with caring for a four-legged friend.