Dogs dash to finish line as ability testing course comes to Flathead Valley
Addy Reed's German shepherd/red heeler mix named Lucy races down the 100-yard course during a practice session for Fast Cat Dog Racing outside the Humane Society of Northwest Montana on Thursday, June 8. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Tanner Strey's mini Australian shepherd/border collie mix named Lily races down the 100-yard course during a practice session for Fast Cat Dog Racing outside the Humane Society of Northwest Montana on Thursday, June 8. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Rachel Brannan's German shorthair pointer/black Lab mix named Teal races down the 100-yard course during a practice session for Fast Cat Dog Racing outside the Humane Society of Northwest Montana on Thursday, June 8. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Olivia Druyvestein's boxer named Kenzie races down the 100-yard course during a practice session for Fast Cat Dog Racing outside the Humane Society of Northwest Montana on Thursday, June 8. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Lesley Fix's poodle named Sawyer races down the 100-yard course during a practice session for Fast Cat Dog Racing outside the Humane Society of Northwest Montana on Thursday, June 8. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Colton Oedekoven's border collie cross named Meadow races down the 100-yard course during a practice session for Fast Cat Dog Racing outside the Humane Society of Northwest Montana on Thursday, June 8. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Kylee Oedekoven's Jack Russell/rat terrier mix named Echo races down the 100-yard course during a practice session for Fast Cat Dog Racing outside the Humane Society of Northwest Montana on Thursday, June 8. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Fast Cat Dog Racing organizer Merry Jo Smith on Thursday, June 8. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Dogs — big, small, fast and even slow — take their turn racing down a fenced track.
The timed 100-yard dash for dogs known as Fast CAT this summer is being hosted most Saturdays at the Humane Society of Northwest Montana.
Fast CAT, which stands for Coursing Ability Test, is the fastest growing dog sport in America, according to the event’s operator, Merry Jo Smith.
“I saw [Fast CAT] for the first time several years ago in Spokane at an American Kennel Club sanctioned event and I thought, ‘This is way too much fun.’ Then, about five years ago, the Flathead Kennel Club put on a dog fair at the former Gateway West Mall and they had various people there with their dog breeds and I was one of them,” said Smith. “They had tons of vendors, the parking lot was full, and I could not believe the dog interest. So I got thinking about it and I thought, ‘Why not try an event like this here?’”
Participating dogs race one at a time chasing a lure on a heavy duty fishing line. All dogs are welcome to participate in the event.
“It's an open event, but we ask that people have their dogs on a leash at all times, and we ask that they come with two people per dog. One to release the dog and one to catch the dog. Those are two important things that need to happen to make it safe and workable,” Smith said.
Smith expects a bit of a learning curve this summer as the sport is new here and so she has enlisted help from the 4-H Club. By next summer, Smith hopes the Flathead K-9 Fast CAT can coordinate with the American Kennel Club to have them sanction the event.
“The local 4-H kids are volunteering their time to fulfill their community service hours as members of their dog club,” Smith explained. “The kids are so excited to learn this and to have their own dogs in it. It’s fantastic.”
Not only is Fast Cat an opportunity for the community to gather and have fun, but it will help dogs at the Humane Society find their forever homes. To get even more dogs adopted, Smith discussed the possibility of partnering with the Flathead County Animal Shelter in the future.
“[The Humane Society] is going to put their dogs in the event. They're going to put little handkerchiefs on the dogs which will tell people that they’re up for adoption. People are welcome to walk through the facility when they're there and hopefully, this will generate interest in those dogs that need to be adopted,” said Smith.
At a Fast CAT event that Smith attended in Lewiston, Idaho, there were over 1,000 dogs that raced. While the Flathead K-9 Fast CAT will start much smaller, Smith expects the sport to grow over the next few years.
“The dogs love it and people just have fun. It's great exercise and I think it'll be a community event that people will really enjoy,” said Smith.
The cost to participate is $15 for each run, or runs can be bundled with two bundles costing $25 or four runs for $40.
To find out more about Fast CAT and to see the calendar of events, visit their Facebook page Flathead K-9 Fast CAT.
Reporter Summer Zalesky may be reached at szalesky@dailyinterlake.com.
