Strut your Mutt
Muttzanita is one of the coast’s most fetching events
By Chelsea Yarnell
Oregon Coast TODAY
Photos by Cynthia Wolf Photography
Here comes the Labrador, poodle and hound. It’s a dog parade where all breeds can be found.
Bring your own mutt and strut down Manzanita’s Laneda Avenue for the 15th Muttzanita this Saturday, Sept. 7.
A parade, several contests and lots of prizes are the paw-sitives for the day. Dogs and dog owners wishing to participate in the full day’s festivities can register for $25 the morning of the event. Muttzanita is a major fundraiser for Nehalem’s Animal Haven by the Sea Rescue.
The main organizers of the event are Matt and Meghan Ruona, owners of Four Paws on the Beach in Manzanita and Cannon Beach.
“When we were in negotiations for the shop, they very much wanted us to continue the tradition and we were more than happy to do it,” Matt said. “It’s been something that’s very fulfilling and it’s a big part of the rewarding side of owning a shop here.”
Kicking off Muttzanita will be the announcement for mayor and vice mayor. Voting for the canine mayor is open until Friday, Sept. 6. Voting booths are located at Four Paws on the Beach, the Manzanita Visitors Center, 1st Security Bank and at the Manzanita Farmers Market on Friday.
“We have pictures and bios of all of the candidates available,” Matt said. “With ballots, people just mark it and put it in a jar. The only rule that we have is that anyone can only vote once a day.”
Bulldog Mr. Fuggles was crowned Mayor of Muttzanita two years ago and now is appointed as special advisor for napping and funny faces.
“Mr. Fuggles will be appearing at the Manzanita Farmers Market with his ‘Get Out and Vote’ banner,” Matt said. “He'll be around getting people to come over to the voting booths.”
Once the mayor has been named, all registered dogs are invited to join the Muttzanita parade. Starting around the corner from the Manzanita Grocery & Deli, the procession will head down Laneda Avenue to the beach.
“The parade will be led by the mayor in a golf cart that’s all decorated,” Matt said.
At the beach, the games begin. First up is the “Chuck-It” contest, also known as fetch, followed by the “Musical Sits” contest. New this year is the “Pet-A-Pooch” contest.
“This will involve folks having their dog sit and be pet on the head by multiple volunteers until they stand up,” Matt said. “We’ll see who will be pet the longest.
The top three contestants will receive gift baskets. Prizes will also be awarded for the pet talent contest, the costume contest and other fun categories. A silent auction will run during the event and close at 12:45 pm. Items up for bid are donated from pet vendors and local Manzanita businesses.
“It brings a lot of people in the community together to continue to support Animal Haven by the Sea Rescue, as well as animal welfare in the area,” Matt said. “Many different businesses in town from lodging to restaurants are dog-friendly, so it’s a big event for everyone to come together to celebrate dogs. It's a wonderful experience every year.”
Don’t have a dog? No worries!
“It's a lot of fun and there's not a lot of lag time. So, even if folks want to come out just to see the events, it's all happening one thing after the other,” Matt said. “They don't necessarily need to take part, but they can register and get a swag bag and hang out.”
The event t-shirts will honor Animal Haven by the Sea Rescue founder Lee Blackmon, who passed away in December, 2023.
“Our t-shirts always have artwork that is dog-centric,” Matt said. “This year, the German Shepherd that [Lee] was very close with will be featured.”
In 2023, the event raised more than $11,000 for the rescue.
“This is a big chunk of their funding for the year as they have no permanent funding sources and are not supported by any government agencies,” Matt said. “Working a business in the pet industry, this is what we wanted to do and be able to give back to the community.”
Muttzanita begins at 10 am on Saturday, Sept. 7, on the beach in Manzanita, with the parade beginning at 10:15 am at 2nd Street and Laneda Avenue. For more information, go to muttzanita.com.