The sound of music filled the air at Taylor Park just east of Ashland last Saturday afternoon.

Canine music by singing beagles, that is.

About 1,000 visitors showed up to Hanover Parks and Recreation’s “Woofstock” event, many bringing their dogs along for a celebration of man’s relationship with his “best friend.”

Several contests allowed visitors to enter their dogs, and the Beagle Chorus of the Richmond Beagle Club won the award for best trick, as about a dozen hound dogs, encouraged by their masters, delivered their signature howl in unison.

Colleen Sweeney of Richmond won the best dog and master look-alike contest with her 10-week old Pug puppy, “Rocky.” Both sported snappy-looking sunglasses and garnered the most applause from the crowd.

Parks and Recreation Program Director Marcy Durrer said the idea for the event came up last fall.

“We were just brainstorming among the staff,” said Durrer.

It had been about two years since the dog park had opened at the nearby Hanover Animal Control headquarters, and Taylor Park itself opened almost exactly a year ago.

Durrer wasn’t sure exactly how the name “Woofstock” arose, but another area organization, Richmond Animal League, coincidentally picked the same label for its upcoming event at the Innsbrook Pavilion on May 31.

Durrer said Hanover will hold a similar event again next year, but the name will be changed.

“It’s the first and only pet event in Hanover County,” said Durrer. “Happy people and happy pets bringing them to Taylor Park.”

Besides the contests, their was a one mile “Woofin’ Waffin Walk with T-shirts for the two-legged participants and bandanas for those who traveled on four legs.

On the serious side, a number of animal rescue and adoption organizations set up shop on the grassy expanse, pushing the always important message of “spay and neuter.”

Hickory Hill K-9 Rescue founder Linda Wickham said the problem of abandoned and unwanted pets continues, primarily because too few pet owners bother to spay and neuter their animals.

“It makes for a healthier and better dispositioned dog,” said Wickham, who has been working in the field as a volunteer for more than 15 years.

“We adopted out 91 dogs last year,” she said.

Wickham said people often act on impulse when getting a dog, without realizing what a cute puppy will grow into.

The economy is now a factor too, she said, citing a family who had to turn over their dog to her after the breadwinner lost his job and the family had to give up their home.

Hickory Hill brought along two litters of puppies for adoption, and the puppies lay dozing in the shade.

“If only those two mother dogs had been spayed,” sighed Wickham.

Of course the problem is “ten times worse on the cat side,” she said.

Hanover Animal Control had a tent, where officers Allen Smith and Jennifer Vitale offered information on county licensing regulations and answered questions on vacination requirements.

Rabies among wild animals has been a problem in Hanover, said Smith.

“Last year we had a tremendous amount of cases,” he said.

Smith warned citizens to be wary of wild animals that do not run away when they see a person and urged they call Animal Control.