Getting dirty for a good cause

Getting down and dirty to raise money for a non-profit animal rescue is how hundreds of dog lovers spent Saturday.

For the first time in two years, the Dirty Mutter course was back with lots of dogs (and their humans), obstacles, and of course, mud.

“I’m an avid obstacle racer myself and it’s a lot of fun, so we thought why not let the dogs enjoy it as much as people do,” Rhonda Laturnus, one of the organizers told Kelowna10. “You get totally muddy and at the end there’s wash stations to clean up and then hang around, visit the vendors.”

The event was hosted at her acreage in Black Mountain and was comprised of three areas that made up a length of around 2 km. Participants took on the course in packs of six. It had a variety of obstacles from picnic tables to tunnels, and sprinklers were on to make sure it was nice and muddy.

Part of the proceeds will be going towards Rescue Ranch, which Laturnus also owns. It’s a facility on her property that takes in animals. She has everything from llamas, to pigs, and horses, too – miniature and regular size.

“I love animals [and] sometimes for many different reasons, people have no place to leave their animals,” she explained. “We just provide a place they have to turn to [where] they can know their animal is well taken care of.”

Dirty Mutter was organized by Rebellious Unicorns and Results 4 Life Fitness, and presented by Tail Blazers Kelowna.

“It’s really nice to be back to in-person events and welcoming people, especially outdoors,” Dustyn Baulkham from Rebellious Unicorns said. “We get to watch people get muddy, [but] I steer clear of the mud every year.”

Baulkham said his favourite part about the event is watching the different types of dogs take on the course.

“Some are like my dog, they’re really prissy and won’t go through the obstacles and will avoid the mud,” he said. “Then you get those dogs that’ll go right in, just piledrive right into the mud.”

Although his puppy wasn’t participating this year, John Barr from Tail Blazers said it’s always great for them to get out in the community and support events like this.

“It’s always great to see owners and dogs and how they interact with one another, running through the mud,” he said. “It’s always fun to see people get dirty.”