Did you know that tomorrow is “Dine With Your Dog Day?” I didn’t, until I heard on the radio that a celebrity event promoting the day got “Desperate Housewives’” actress Nicollette Sheridan a lot of media attention. Apparently, Sheridan was supposed to eat dog food during the event designed to celebrate the bond between man and dog by encouraging pet owners to share a meal with their dog.
“This is not ‘Fear Factor,'” Sheridan said Thursday, balking at the idea of downing dog food.
But she wasn’t the only Hollywood hottie who declined to munch on doggie morsels. “Exorcist” head-turner Linda Blair also refused to dine on the dog food, explaining that she’s a vegetarian. For some reason I thought “Little House on the Prairie” actress Melissa Gilbert was a vegetarian too, but perhaps I’m wrong because she and Ross the Intern from Jay Leno’s “Tonight” show scooped up large helpings of the doggie dinner and chowed down.
So whose idea was it to get celebrities to down doggie chow? Blame former “Eight is Enough” TV patriarch Dick Van Patten, whose Natural Balance dog food company was behind the event. He said he wanted to show dog lovers how delicious pet chow can be.
Actor James Farantino was also on hand for yesterday’s celebration – dubbed the “doggy social event of the season.” Other activities included a best-dressed bow-wow fashion show and there was also a pet psychic on hand to read paws.
The party followed proclamations made by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and the governors of New Jersey, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Nebraska and West Virginia that formally cited October 21st as “Dine With Your Dog Day.”
But, you don’t have to be a Hollywood celebrity to join in on the furry fun. Tomorrow pet stores nationwide will be hosting special events to honor dogs big and small. According to Van Patten, some sales proceeds from participating brands, including Natural Choice, will be going to animal shelters to “continue their important efforts to give humane treatment to man’s best friend.”