Wiener Dog Day in Carrboro focuses on Dachshund rescue, adoption awareness

The piercing barks and proud owners of more than 100 Dachshunds filled the lawn of Weaver Street Market Sunday.

Carrboro’s annual Weiner Dog Day raised money for Dachshund Rescue of North America, a non-profit organization that rehabilitates Dachshunds across the country.

Dachshund owner Tammy Lamey attended the event for her third consecutive year and said she thinks the event drew just as many attendees as previous years.

“Barking is part of the fun,” Lamey said over the noise.

Sporting doggie limbo, a “kissing” competition, weiner bobbing and many other Dachshund-themed contests, the fundraiser attracted local dog lovers to raise awareness for Dachshund rescues.

“We want to educate people that Dachshunds actually need rescuing,” said Pam Stephens, a North Carolina area representative for the Dachshund Rescue of North America.

Dachshunds, —whose name means “badger dog” in German — were bigger in their original form but were bred to go down holes after badgers, Stephens said.

She runs a home for foster dogs and is currently housing 12 Dachshunds that are up for adoption.

The dogs will stay at her home until they are adopted or move to another foster home.

“I can’t tell you how many people I have met that are like, ‘Dachshunds don’t need adopting!’ But I have a houseful of them that prove otherwise,” she said.

Stephen’s foster dogs, as well as other dogs up for adoption, attended the event.

In addition to its role as a fundraiser, the event brought adoptable dogs into the public eye so they had a better chance of finding a permanent home, Stephens said.

Since the event was free, organizers raised money by raffling off prizes and taking donations.

“I actually started with the Dachshund Rescue of North America by adopting from them. I only got one dog,” Stephens said, “But later they needed an emergency foster, so I did it and had so much fun that I ended up joining.”

Raleigh resident and Dachshund owner Caro Slingluff attended the event for her first time with her dog, Oscar, who came dressed in a hotdog costume.

Aside from Oscar’s costume, other outfits included a pumpkin, a peacock, a crayon and a ballerina.

“We have met tons of other Dachshund owners here, which is really fun,” Slingluff said. “There is a really great Dachshund community here.”

“If you go to the dog parks all the Dachshund people are in groups.”

Slingluff said she has participated in other Dachshund rescues before, including an organization called the Dachshund Underground Railroad that transports rescued dogs across the country to their new homes.

“People think that a lot of little dogs don’t need to be rescued because they are cute, but they do,” Stephens said.

“Dachshunds are not an exception.”

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