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  • A happy pup at Desperate Paws' Joshua Tree event/Courtesy of...

    A happy pup at Desperate Paws' Joshua Tree event/Courtesy of Stephen and Brandi Terry

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For many of us, finding some time to relax is often an elusive dream. When we get home, all we want to do is eat and get off our feet.  

Unfortunately, this means our four-legged friends get put on the back burner of our daily activities. And so Desperate Paws of Orange County was born. The organization is designed to get pet owners and their pups out and about, encouraging humans to keep themselves relaxed and their dogs social.

Founded in January 2010, Desperate Paws’ goal has been to keep dog owners out and about with their pooches.  

“[My wife Brandi and I] knew that approximately 50% of homes have a dog, yet we rarely saw the dogs out with the people,” says Stephen Terry, co-founder of Desperate Paws.  

The discouraging number of dogs out with their owners caused this couple to begin events such as dog park and dog beach outings and doggie date nights, where dogs can feel free to socialize with other dogs or their owners.  

“Within a few months, the club had grown to a couple hundred members,” Terry says. “It was at that time we decided to take it a step further and help the needy dogs in our community.”  

This decision gave birth to what is now known as Paw It Forward, a campaign with a goal of helping needy and adoptable dogs in Orange County shelters. As a result, the Pawliday Dog Adoption event was created.  

When a dog is adopted at this event, Paw It Forward will help pay for the adoption fee and offers free dog training classes to the new adoptive parents.  

“We have had three adoption events and witnessed over 60 dogs find their new forever homes,” says Terry.

In time for the spooky season, Desperate Paws is holding Howling Halloween in the Park on October 21 from noon to 5 p.m. at the Fountain Valley Recreation Center (16400 Brookhurst St., Fountain Valley). The event includes safe trick-or-treating for kids and dogs in costume as well as a costume contest, games and other entertainment. Parking and admission are both free.  

Interested in joining? Membership for Desperate Paws is free for both you and your pup.  You can join by visiting www.desperatepawsofocdogclub.org and creating a profile. Once you do so, event notifications will be sent to you. Another way to become active is to Like Desperate Paws’ Facebook page at facebook.com/DPOCDogClub.