By Greg Ellison

(Sept. 10, 2020) Wagging tongues and wet fur will be in abundance on Saturday at the Mumford’s Landing Pool during Ocean Pines Aquatics annual Doggie Swim fundraiser.

Ocean Pines Director of Amenities and Operational Logistics Colby Phillips said the event will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and includes a $6 registration fee that will support the Worcester County Humane Society.

“The doggie swim is $6 per dog and human companions are free,” she said.

In light of pandemic considerations, participants will be permitted within state-mandated capacity counts for pool facilities.

“There’s no pre-registration but obviously, once we reach capacity, we’ll have to do a wait list,” she said.

To accommodate canines of varying sizes, the initial hour is reserved for pups weighing less than 20 pounds.

“They get so excited and they’re all over the place, so the first hour is for smaller dogs,” she said.

Phillips said the charitable event tends to draw a large contingent of water-friendly breeds, such as Labradors and golden retrievers.

The pooch-centric gathering also serves as a summer season closing event for the Mumford’s Landing facility.

Dog handlers must be 18 or older and a registered adult must accompany children.

Phillips said despite the challenging times, since pools were approved to operate during the pandemic, the decision was made to hold the annual event, which was established in 2009.

“It’s a wonderful cause,” she said. “We saw no reason we still couldn’t have the event, because 100 percent of the proceeds go to the Humane Society.”

Phillips said the event being green-lighted came as a pleasant surprise to a cohort who volunteers with the Worcester County Humane Society.

“She said, ‘Everything else has been canceled,’” Phillips said. “I’m glad that we’re still able to do this because a lot has been cancelled for people this summer.”

Mumford’s Landing Pool is located at 7351 Yacht Club Drive. For more information contact Ocean Pines Aquatics at 410-641-5255.