Calendar Contest Kicks Off Saturday
The McKean County SPCA will open its annual calendar contest with a special event at the Bradford Area Public Library. From 10:30 to 1:00 on Saturday, April 18, pet owners will have the opportunity to enter the contest for the 2010 SPCA Pet Calendar.
Pet owners are invited to bring small pets on leashes or in carriers to the library, where photographers will take pictures of the animals. For the payment of a $5 fee, the picture will be entered into the contest. People may also enter their own pictures of their pets by registering and paying the $5 entry fee. Entries may be made at the April 18 event at the public library or at any time until June 29 at the McKean County SPCA on Glenwood Avenue in Bradford.
The photographs will be circulated throughout the county during the months of July and August, and people will “vote” for the winners by contributing money for their favorite animals. The top twelve money-winners will be featured on the 2010 calendar, in pictures taken by a professional photographer. The 24 entries with the next highest final votes will be pictured on the “Honorable Mention” page at the back of the calendar.
“Most people think of this as a dog and cat contest, but it’s more than that,” says Dick Gorton, President of the SPCA’s Board of Directors. “If people have larger animals they want to enter, or animals they can’t bring in to the library, they can pick up entry forms at the shelter on Glenwood Avenue or at the library.”
Gorton also explained that one of the rules of the contest is that the photos must be of the animals alone, with no humans in the picture. “So if people have pets that are skittish or will not stand or lie by themselves, it might be best to bring a photo from home rather then try to have one taken at the library, where there will be many people and animals.”
Co-sponsored by the SPCA and the Library, the April 18 event will include a visit from the shelter’s mascot, a small human in a dog costume. Children will be invited to visit with the mascot “dog.” Refreshments will also be provided.
One pet owner who plans to enter the contest this year is Mary Hervatin. Mary and her husband Joe are the proprietors of Taintor Springs Alpacas a few miles south of Lewis Run. The couple began raising alpacas with 4 males in 2005, and presently have a herd of 15—five males and ten females.
The animals are clean, docile, and friendly, according to Mary. They are raised for their fleece, which is shorn every spring. Each full-grown animal produces seven to ten pounds of fleece each year. The color varieties range from white to black, with shades of brown and gray in between; there are 22 natural colors of alpaca fleece, and the fleece may also be dyed to just about any color.
Mary has started to hand-spin the fleece produced by her alpacas into yarn. It can then be sent to artisans to make a variety of clothing apparel. As she points out, “The fact that alpaca fleece is five times warmer and more durable than wool and soft as cashmere makes it one of the most luxurious fibers in the world.” Interested buyers can find these products in Bradford’s downtown Main Street Mercantile.
While the alpacas are productive farm animals, they are also treated like pets. Like many domesticated pets, their life span is about 20 years, which allows plenty of time for pets and owners to establish bonds. Mary makes the rounds with food each day, consisting of hay and mineral supplements, and feeds the alpacas by hand. The females, which have flower names, approach with familiarity, and most like to be touched. They are well-mannered and get along with each other, since alpacas are social animals that do not do well by themselves.
Originally found only in the South American Andes, the alpacas were not allowed to be exported from those regions until 1984; in 1998, the exports were discontinued, so the natural increase of the animals in North America comes only from the herds now living here. All of the alpacas are registered in an international registry.
Raising alpacas has become more popular, as people have become more familiar with these engaging animals and the beautiful products produced from their fleece. In McKean County alone, there are four alpaca farms in addition to Taintor Springs – Kendall Creek Farms and Hillside Alpacas in Bradford, Cinco C’s Alpacas in Port Allegany, and Stoney Acre Alpacas in Smethport.
After pointing out all of the advantages of her alpaca farm, Mary summed up her experiences by noting that “I love raising alpacas and hope to continue to do so for many more years.”
Pet owners are invited to bring small pets on leashes or in carriers to the library, where photographers will take pictures of the animals. For the payment of a $5 fee, the picture will be entered into the contest. People may also enter their own pictures of their pets by registering and paying the $5 entry fee. Entries may be made at the April 18 event at the public library or at any time until June 29 at the McKean County SPCA on Glenwood Avenue in Bradford.
The photographs will be circulated throughout the county during the months of July and August, and people will “vote” for the winners by contributing money for their favorite animals. The top twelve money-winners will be featured on the 2010 calendar, in pictures taken by a professional photographer. The 24 entries with the next highest final votes will be pictured on the “Honorable Mention” page at the back of the calendar.
“Most people think of this as a dog and cat contest, but it’s more than that,” says Dick Gorton, President of the SPCA’s Board of Directors. “If people have larger animals they want to enter, or animals they can’t bring in to the library, they can pick up entry forms at the shelter on Glenwood Avenue or at the library.”
Gorton also explained that one of the rules of the contest is that the photos must be of the animals alone, with no humans in the picture. “So if people have pets that are skittish or will not stand or lie by themselves, it might be best to bring a photo from home rather then try to have one taken at the library, where there will be many people and animals.”
Co-sponsored by the SPCA and the Library, the April 18 event will include a visit from the shelter’s mascot, a small human in a dog costume. Children will be invited to visit with the mascot “dog.” Refreshments will also be provided.
One pet owner who plans to enter the contest this year is Mary Hervatin. Mary and her husband Joe are the proprietors of Taintor Springs Alpacas a few miles south of Lewis Run. The couple began raising alpacas with 4 males in 2005, and presently have a herd of 15—five males and ten females.
The animals are clean, docile, and friendly, according to Mary. They are raised for their fleece, which is shorn every spring. Each full-grown animal produces seven to ten pounds of fleece each year. The color varieties range from white to black, with shades of brown and gray in between; there are 22 natural colors of alpaca fleece, and the fleece may also be dyed to just about any color.
Mary has started to hand-spin the fleece produced by her alpacas into yarn. It can then be sent to artisans to make a variety of clothing apparel. As she points out, “The fact that alpaca fleece is five times warmer and more durable than wool and soft as cashmere makes it one of the most luxurious fibers in the world.” Interested buyers can find these products in Bradford’s downtown Main Street Mercantile.
While the alpacas are productive farm animals, they are also treated like pets. Like many domesticated pets, their life span is about 20 years, which allows plenty of time for pets and owners to establish bonds. Mary makes the rounds with food each day, consisting of hay and mineral supplements, and feeds the alpacas by hand. The females, which have flower names, approach with familiarity, and most like to be touched. They are well-mannered and get along with each other, since alpacas are social animals that do not do well by themselves.
Originally found only in the South American Andes, the alpacas were not allowed to be exported from those regions until 1984; in 1998, the exports were discontinued, so the natural increase of the animals in North America comes only from the herds now living here. All of the alpacas are registered in an international registry.
Raising alpacas has become more popular, as people have become more familiar with these engaging animals and the beautiful products produced from their fleece. In McKean County alone, there are four alpaca farms in addition to Taintor Springs – Kendall Creek Farms and Hillside Alpacas in Bradford, Cinco C’s Alpacas in Port Allegany, and Stoney Acre Alpacas in Smethport.
After pointing out all of the advantages of her alpaca farm, Mary summed up her experiences by noting that “I love raising alpacas and hope to continue to do so for many more years.”
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