Art City to host pet event on Oct. 19

Art City will become Arf City later this month when dog owners and their four-legged friends gather at the Tucumcari sculpture garden and campground for a daylong celebration of responsible pet ownership.

The inaugural Arf City event will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 19 at Art City, 10134 Highway 104.

The event will include a wiener dog race, canine costume contest, stupid pet trick contest, scavenger hunt, nail trims, microchipping, food vendors, a free vaccination clinic, workshops and more. Representatives from the City of Tucumcari also will be on hand to update dogs’ city tags.

The workshops, which are free to the public, will include sessions on basic obedience training, grooming, dog safety and the hidden costs of pet ownership.

Arf City is the brainchild of an informal group of community leaders and canine professionals concerned about Tucumcari’s problem with loose dogs, resulting in a fatal mauling in February 2023.

The event is designed to celebrate man’s best friend while providing a one-stop shopping opportunity for pet owners who want to microchip their dogs or cats; have their dogs vaccinated against distemper and parvovirus; have their cats vaccinated against panleukopenia; get their pets’ nails trimmed; bring their city licenses up to date; troubleshoot common behavior issues; or learn to care for their pets’ fur and nails. Participants also will have the opportunity to meet adoptable pets from Paws and Claws Animal Rescue of Quay County and sign up to volunteer at the shelter.

Leashed dogs are welcome during the event. Admission to Arf City is free, but participants are asked to register in advance and sign a waiver of liability before exploring Art City.

For more information, including a schedule of events, go to tucumcaridogtraining.com/arf-city-2024.

Arf City is sponsored by Art City, Paws and Claws Animal Rescue of Quay County, Dog Gone Cute Grooming and Tucumcari Dog Training. The free vaccine clinic sponsored by Petco Love.