Pet Parade ...Rat Pageant

Carrick said community members came together 19 years ago to resurrect the event.

This month, dozens of food, arts and crafts vendors lined Oak and Tainter streets. A carnival offered kids a choice of participating in a cake walk, football throw, pumpkin painting, or careening down a super slide.

The festival is not all fun and games. This year, Carrick said, funds raised at the festival will be given to St. Helena Community Pool and Napa Humane.

Napa Humane volunteers brought along five bunnies, four cats and two dogs looking for a new home. Executive director Jane Winston said by noon Saturday, they had dozens of applications from prospective owners.

The shelter routinely takes in surrendered and abandoned pets and offers them for adoption at their Napa facilities. Potential pet owners are screened before they are given custody of pets.

so Please...donate to your local animal shelter..