Photo provided Sky is the “doggie ambassador” and mascot at the Shell Factory & Nature Park in North Fort Myers. The Shell Factory is also the site of the Doggy Heaven Dog Park.

The Shell Factory & Nature Park, and especially Doggy Heaven Dog Park officials, hope to send dozens of pets home for holidays after the second annual Pet Adoption Day on Sunday, Dec. 2.

The event will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Shell Factory Dog Park, known as Doggy Heaven.

Currently, a number of pet rescue organizations, pet-oriented businesses including pet bakeries and suppliers of all types, are scheduled to attend.

“Last year, 12 dogs got adopted through our first event and we’re hoping to adopt out 20 this year,” said Shell Factory Marketing Director Rick Tupper. “We are happy to promote this type of free event here at the Shell Factory since the entire property is dog friendly.”

The community embraces that.

Pam Parez, a Shell Factory sales representative with the Doggy Heaven Shop, holds Lola, a pooch that frequents the Shell Factory.

“A number of customers have come in because we are so dog friendly,” he said. “We hope Pet Adoption Day will also promote greater usage of our free Dog Park facility as part of our Community Outreach Program. Other groups can contact us about that.”

The Shell Factory Dog Park is home to SunCoast DockDogs and the SW Florida Wiener Dog Club and the Healing Paws-Abilities Agility organization. This event will provide a great opportunity to adopt that special pet or just browse the various vendors. Once at the Dog Park you will see a complete dog agility course and a dog jumping pool.

This year’s event will feature a Dog Jumping competition, along with dog agility demonstrations. “There are classes being conducted here and you can see them demonstrated and get information on them at the event.

Food and live music will also make for a fun afternoon.

“If you are interested in bringing your dog club there, we have room for more,” he said.

The dog park is open daily from dawn until dusk. DockDog and agility have specific hours.

“Bring your four-legged friends to explore the whole property, he said.

“Richard Dunmire, who developed activities including Doggy Church, has a done a terrific job there,” Tupper said.

“There is nothing like the unconditional love of a pet,” said Dunmire. “I hadn’t had a dog in over 50 years, then we were introduced to the dachshund breed. We now have Lollypop, who has now become an extremely important part of our family. Pets and especially dogs are such an important part of our lives, and I encourage everyone to come to the event and adopt a pet.”

He developed the Doggie Church services held every Sunday at 12:30 p.m.; a half-hour non-denominational service where pets are invited to attend.

All these outdoor events are free and open to the public.

Capt n Fishbones, DogBones Cafe, and the Shell Factory retail store and Nature Park will also be open.

Outside of special events, Thursdays are a popular day to bring dogs to the complex, especially to Dogbones Cafe from 5 to 7 p.m. There, canines get fresh water, doggie treats and special prices for drinks for human consumption.

You can also meet Sky, the Shell Factory’s own dog mascot, a black labrador who hangs out at his own area at Dogbones.

For more information on this fun event call Rick Tupper 560-9522 or email at rick.tupper@shellfactory.com .

For more information on the dog park, visit shellfactory.com and check out their Doggy Park page. The Shell Factory is also on Facebook.

Shell Factory goes country on Sundays

Sunday is country music day at the Shell Factory Dolphin Room, and there will be country music there on Sunday, Dec. 2 on Pet Adoption Day.

Tru Kountry will be playing that day from 1 to 5 p.m. There is a $6 admission charge.

On the third Sunday of every month, a free country music jam is also presented from noon until 5 p.m., sponsored by the Southwest Florida Country Music Association. That features numerous local artists.

Both are held in the Dolphin Room at the Shell Factory.

Dick and Brenda Mason are two of the key artists in the Tru Kountry Band.

“I’ve been performing since I was 15, about 50 years now,” said Dick Mason. “Brenda and I got married at a young age, and we basically grew up together. She sings and I play guitar and sing.”

They enjoy being at the Shell Factory.

“We’ve been there now for four weeks and the crowd is starting to build. It is a progressive thing. We do old classic country, country music from the 60’s to 80’s. Everybody seems to enjoy it, it is music they grew up with and can’t hear many places anymore.”

For information on country music, call the Shell Factory at 995-2141.