by Roseann Moring

Dogs get soaked for worthy cause

Nebraska State Patrol Sgt. Lonnie Connelly's dog retired, and the patrol needed a new dog. So a donor cut a check Ñ to the tune of $8,000.

Yet even when the patrol has enough trained dogs, the unit needs extra equipment. For example, while Connelly educated people at a fundraiser Sunday, his new dog, Rahe, was sitting in the truck.

Just like most dogs, Rahe, a 3-year-old Belgian Malinois, which resembles a German shepherd, can't sit in a car in hot weather. Connelly leaves the car running, and the temperature was a cool 67 degrees. But just in case, the car has a device, informally called a "hot dog," that pages Connelly when the car gets too hot.

And that costs money.

Cue Dogtopia owner Nicholle Reisdorff, who was looking to host a charity for working dogs.

Dogtopia, a chain of dog spa and day cares, has held an annual nationwide fundraiser for the past five years, and this is the first year the La Vista center, at 13239 Portal Drive, has been open.

The patrol has set up the nonprofit Nebraska State Patrol Foundation, and donors can direct funds to specific areas, such as canine units. Reisdorff said she was looking for a group that actively needed money.

"It just seemed like the perfect fit," she said.

Connelly agreed.

"Any help is appreciated," he said.

The 13 State Patrol dogs across Nebraska are trained for tasks such as detection of drugs and detention of suspects.

So the center opened its doors, employees volunteered to come in Sunday, and the center suggested that attendees donate $10. Proceeds from a raffle, bake sale and silent auction also went to the State Patrol canine unit.

Reisdorff also invited vendors such as Bonafide Dog Academy to educate those waiting their turn for a wash.

Many of their clients showed up, she said, but also some who had never been to Dogtopia. Jonathan Junk of Papillion brought his two dogs to be washed: Daisy, an 8-year-old Australian shepherd and Lilly, a border collie and Australian shepherd mix who is about three years old.

The dogs didn't really need a bath, he said, but his neighbor is a trooper.

Reisdorff said the event was "what I had hoped for." And it's not done; dogs that couldn't make it to the event can come in until Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m..

"We take care of dogs every day that are kind of pampered," she said. "These are dogs that take care of us."

© The Omaha World-Herald 2009