Gold Rush brings plenty of smiles and wagging tails
Golden retrievers strutted along the streets of Rehoboth Beach and Dewey Beach May 9-11, as the Golden Jubilee returned to the Cape Region. The Gold Rush in Rehoboth Beach May 9, marked the kickoff for a weekend of wagging tails.
From puppies to sugar-faced veterans, golden retrievers of all ages and sizes took to the streets to add sunshine to a dreary day. The parade started at Lake Gerar Park, went down North First Street, onto Rehoboth Avenue eastbound, looped the Boardwalk’s sidewalk and went back west on Rehoboth Avenue before ending at Salty Paws, where dogs could get a frozen treat.
Event organizer Kim Bronakoski said, “This event has always meant a lot to me, but it became very personal when we lost our 10.5-year-old golden suddenly to hemangiosarcoma, a highly invasive canine cancer, in 2023 while vacationing together in Blackwater Falls, W.Va. Nothing is worse than coming home without our furry loved one. The anxiety of myself and others going through that, it has fueled a fire in me to help raise as much money and awareness as possible to eradicate this horrific disease.”
The event was free, but proceeds from the sale of merchandise went to the Morris Animal Foundation’s Golden Retriever Lifetime Study. This study is one of the largest, most comprehensive prospective canine health studies in the United States. The study’s purpose is to identify the nutritional, environmental, lifestyle and genetic risk factors for cancer and other diseases in dogs. Each year, with the help of veterinarians and dog owners, the foundation collects health, environmental and behavioral data on 3,000-plus golden retrievers.
For more information, go to www.morrisanimalfoundation.org/golden-retriever-lifetime-study.
