three dog night

three dog night

Emily Sloan of KCMO loves the Kansas City Wizards. And, according to Sloan, so does her dog, Tank. "He's a big, avid fan of Jimmy Conrad," Sloan said with a smile, "and he reads Jimmy Conrad's blog on jimmyconrad.com."

So when the team hosted Dog's Night at the Wizards on Saturday, Sloan put a cute pair of angel wings on her little dog's back, made a sign that read "Jimmy Conrad is the Wind beneath Tank's Wings" and headed off to CommunityAmerica Ballpark. "We came out because Tank would be really sad if we didn't," she said.

Tank was among the expected 140 to 150 dogs that showed up for Dog's Night. A portion of all ticket sales goes to benefit Animal Haven, Wayside Waifs and the Humane Society of Greater Kansas City. Representatives from all three shelters were in attendance, bringing along some dogs available for adoption.

Wizards VP of Merchandising Jacques Tournoy organized the first Dog's Night in August 2006. Almost 150 dogs were in attendance that night at Arrowhead Stadium. "Dog's Night is a unique opportunity for families and their pets to come together and enjoy a Wizards game," said Tournoy. "Win or lose, we want fans to leave the game feeling great about their experience."

And a fine experience it was for the dogs and their families, who watched the game from the grass berm. The evening was warm, but not uncomfortable. Everyone with a dog got a goodie bag. Vendors set up shop under a large tent. There were watering stations so the dogs could drink their fill. Dogs could "take care of business" at designated "poo parks."

Also during the evening, there was a best-dressed dog contest, with the contestants sporting Wizards-themed outfits. Judges included Gary Lezak of KSHB-TV and Holly Starr of 38 The Spot. The KC Disc Dogs Frisbee Team performed at halftime.

The Wizards ended up with a draw against Chivas USA. Tank, with his feathery wings, captured the best-dressed crown, much to the delight of Sloan. But the big winners tonight were the local shelters that Dog's Night was designed to aid. Sloan agreed, "That makes it even better."