Published: September 07, 2008 08:37 am      

Jeff Aquatic Center goes to the dogs for second annual Pooch Plunge

JEFFERSONVILLE — Kathryn Williams threw a ball into the kiddie pool at the Jeffersonville Aquatic Center Saturday afternoon and told her dog, a bichon frise named Chelsea, to go after it.

Chelsea, who was already soaked, stood alongside the edge of the water, barely put one paw in and quickly took it back out.

“I think they would be more accepting if it wasn’t quite as cold,” Williams said, referring to her and her son’s dog who came to the Pooch Plunge together.

Meanwhile, a large labrador, named Shelby, galloped past in the water, scooping up the tennis ball as Chelsea watched.

“Runaway ball,” Willams laughed. “You wanna play ball too?”

Dozens of people came with their pets Saturday afternoon to the pool to end the summer with a splash.

“There’s not many places to take dogs in this area and she loves to swim,” said Tara Miller, the owner of Shelby. “She loves other dogs too. She does not know a stranger.”

“We thought it would be good to get her used to water in a safe manner rather than in a lake, where you don’t know what’s under the water,” Joey Kelso said, as she watched her 14-year-old son, Noah, walk their Newfoundland dog on a leash through the water.

“We can’t keep her out of the creek, so we thought we’d bring her here,” Ashley Spence said of her golden retriever/labrador mix, Dixie. Just as she was talking, Dixie followed Spence’s brother, Josh, off the diving board.

Not all those in attendance were dog owners, such as 10-year-old Dustin Wells.

“I just wanted to see the dogs and play with them,” Wells said, grinning as he watched the crowd of dogs playing on the water jungle gym. “I like seeing the dogs going down the slide.”

This is the second year for the Pooch Plunge. Last year, about 40 dogs showed, according to Sara Kraft, aquatics director. She said the first year went good, except for one thing.

“I was nervous about fights, but there wasn’t any,” she said. “We did have one dog that had to be rescued though. He ran into the big pool and sank to the bottom.”

He was just fine after being pulled to safety.

Kraft said the event gives the dogs a chance to have a final dip before the pool closes. After this, the pool will be drained for the winter.

She said this annual event will be back next year for those who missed this year’s Pooch Plunge.