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Pet Rock Celebrates Its 7th AnniversaryCreated in Response to the Horrors of Animal Abuse, the Animal-Friendly Festival Honors Pets and Pet Owners with Music, Fun, and Education 
September 2005 - They say you can’t teach an old dog new
tricks, but the organizers of the Pet Rock Festival hope to teach a few
humans how to treat their pets properly. “These are caring, feeling companions; the best companions you’ll
have in your entire life,” said event organizer Jeannie Hebert.
“These are not gifts you get at Christmas and throw away at Easter
because they don’t fit your schedule.” The annual event, celebrating its seventh year in existence on Sept.
11, aims to combine music, people and their pets in an environment that’s
both fun and educational. The musical lineup for this year’s festival
includes event organizer Charlene Arsenault’s band Pet Rock (for
those wondering, yes, the band name came first), Jediah, Doctor Robert
and show headliners Orleans (known for hits like “Still the One”
and “Dance With Me.”) From his home in Fla., Larry Hoppen, multi-instrumentalist for Orleans,
expressed excitement to be a part of the event. “We all [in Orleans]
have animals,” he said. “In our time together, we’ve
played for a lot of different causes — what’s not to like
about this one?” This year’s Pet Rock will also include familiar attractions like
the doggy water park and the adoptable dog parade, as well as some special
features including a Sept. 11 tribute and a presentation rewarding law
enforcement for their work in apprehending animal abusers. Deeply disturbed by a 1999 television special depicting the torture and
subsequent murder of a dog named Scruffy in Kansas, Arsenault said those
graphic images ultimately inspired her. “I was almost paralyzed
by that,” she said. “On that night, I was doubled over crying.”
It wasn’t until placing a call to fellow animal enthusiast Jeannie
Hebert that Arsenault realized the need to counteract the atrocity with
something positive. “[Arsenault] called that evening in tears she was so upset,”
Hebert said. “I told her, ‘Instead of being upset about it,
let’s do something.’” Along with Leigh Grady of the
Animal Shelter Inc. in Sterling, the three put together the first Pet
Rock Festival that September. Arsenault stressed that all proceeds from the event go directly to causes that help animals, including the National Association for Humane and Environmental Education (NAHEE) which publishes KIND News, a small newspaper for classrooms about respecting animals. Last year, Pet Rock sponsored KIND News in 272 fifth and sixth grade
classrooms throughout Worcester County. At this year’s festival,
NAHEE also will be doing a workshop for children on dog bite prevention.
“It’s so great to see so many organizations together helping
animals,” said Heidi O’Brien, communications coordinator for
NAHEE and the primary liaison for the festival. “I hope it expands
and it has; it seems to be growing more and more every year.” Hebert agreed the size of the festival is certainly on the rise, but
even as it continues to expand in Worcester, organizers are looking beyond.
There is interest in adding satellite programs in other parts of the country
and in Canada, Hebert said. But for a long-term goal, she said she’s
after a much bigger bone. The Pet Rock Festival takes place Sept. 11 at Quinsigamond Community College. Visit www.petrockfest.com for more information.
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