- April 3, 2025
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Lakewood Ranch resident Keltsey Costner stops to meet Cleopatra at Barks and Brews on Aug. 13.
Photo by Lesley DwyerPalm Aire resident Lisa Mathews and Lake Club resident Katherine Hall volunteer for Nate's Honor Rescue.
Photo by Lesley DwyerSarasota's Jim Ridder, 13 months, watches as his dad pets 3-month-old Cory, a black lab mix.
Photo by Lesley DwyerEmmett, a 3-year-old Shih Tzu, is wearing a Hawaiaan shirt from Petco.
Photo by Lesley DwyerBernard is a 4-month-old golden retriever who won't stay out of the water.
Photo by Lesley DwyerOrlando resident Kayla Novac holds Hank, and Sarasota resident Katie Kleinkopf holds Pebbles.
Photo by Lesley DwyerKami, a 7-year-old Bolognese, wears flowers behind her ears for the luau paw-ty.
Photo by Lesley DwyerAustin Aldridge lifts Mallory Bernard. Aldridge teaches dance at Sara Dance Center and the House of Dance.
Photo by Lesley DwyerCatering Coordinator Will Davis serves up a mango Italian ice from Jeremiah's Italian Ice.
Photo by Lesley DwyerSarasota resident Kel Phillips knows how to spoil her Shih Tzu mix Jasper. The bottom of that carrier is lined with ice packs.
Photo by Lesley DwyerAug. 13 marks the monthly installment of Barks and Brews. The popular event at the Green at UTC benefits Nate's Honor Animal Rescue.
Photo by Lesley DwyerAlthough Barks and Brews, a monthly mixer of people and dogs, is a fundraiser for Nate’s Honor Animal Rescue, Nate's volunteer Katherine Hall said there’s a bigger purpose.
“It’s more for the exposure,” said Hall, who lives in the Lake Club. “People see the puppies and they’re like, ‘Oh my God, I want a puppy!’ So then, they go to Lorraine Road (Nate’s shelter location) and adopt one.”
On Aug. 13, volunteers brought two 3-month-old puppies, a brother and sister, to The Green at University Town Center for a "luau paw-ty." Cory and Camden are a mixed breed, but heavy on black Labrador retriever.
The energetic duo taught the volunteers a lesson.
“These are the biggest puppies we’ve brought, and they can jump over the fence,” volunteer and Palm Aire resident Lisa Mathews said. “Now, they’re on leashes just in case they do a jailbreak. Normally, they’re too little to get over the fence.”
Volunteers set up a mini petting zoo situation with a short, closed-in pen, so it’s easy for guests to interact with the puppies. But a lot of the guests on Aug. 13 were preoccupied with their own puppies and dogs.
Some of the dogs ended up soaking wet from the sprinklers, like Bernard, a 4-month-old golden retriever. Others watched the action from their seats, like Jasper, a 2-year-old Shih Tzu mix.
Jasper didn’t need to splash around in the water to cool off. His owner and Sarasota resident Kel Phillips lined the bottom of his rolling carrier with ice packs.