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Stripes Earn Prizes For Dogs

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By MIKE WELLS, The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 21, 2007

TAMPA - Melissa Post has lots of free time on her hands.

That's how the South Tampa resident explained designing a Don King costume for her dog, Frank. It seemed like a logical choice, she said, because King is a famous professional boxing promoter known for his tall, frizzy hairstyle, and Frank is her beloved 4-year-old boxer.

Frank's tuxedo, furry gray-and-black wig and golden dollar-sign chain earned him first place in the funniest costume category in the Humane Society of Tampa Bay's fifth annual Pet Masquerade, held Saturday in Old Hyde Park Village.

Post said she planned to buy treats for Frank with her winnings, a $50 gift certificate from Downtown Dogs, a canine accessory store.

Fifty-six contestants were registered in the contest's four divisions - child and pet team, funniest, scariest and most original. The event raised $325 for the organization, volunteer Nancy McCall said.

Hundreds of pet lovers gathered to watch the competition, sitting on hay bales in the park's pumpkin patch. Several stores in the village set up booths among the vendors selling food and passing out brochures.

Most costumes drew plenty of laughs, but the audience gasped in amazement when Bula and Balu, two lanky, black Great Danes, galloped onstage and earned first place for most original costume.

Painted with white stripes down their sides to resemble zebras, the 3-year-old dogs were led down the stage by owners Katherine Bresnahan and Heather Rickert, both of St. Petersburg. The women were dressed as zookeepers.

'It took over an hour to paint them, with lots of touch-ups,' Rickert said.

Bresnahan said the dogs were adopted from different breeders. Their winnings will be spent on specialty dog food the two Danes are used to eating instead of treats and toys, she said.

'We spend between $80 and $100 a month to feed them,' Bresnahan said. 'They already have over 150 toys, and they have their own bedroom and beds in the house.'

Reporter Mike Wells can be reached at (813) 259-7839 or mwells@tampatrib.com.

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