Bring your dog Sunday to Woofstock for beer, music at Jake's on Devine

There aren’t many issues that just about everyone can agree on – especially during an election year – but when it comes to animal protection you won’t find a more united front, especially around the Midlands.

Among groups that help animals, the Humane Society of Columbia is one of the major organizations devoted to animal welfare and overpopulation, routinely spaying and neutering around 7,500 pets a year. It’s also one of the only nonprofits in the state to employ an animal cruelty investigator.

After pawing around different ideas for a fall fundraiser, the group came up with Woofstock two years ago, agreeing that a music event would be a better draw than, let’s say, a sad commercial with Sarah McLachlan playing in the background.

This year will be the first at Jake’s on Devine, a place known by many for its love of dogs.

“We chose Jake’s because we know it’s a very pet-friendly place,” said Wayne Brennessel, executive director of the Humane Society of Columbia since 2008. “Jake’s owner is a great friend of animals and a great supporter of the Humane Society, so we figured it would be a good venue. And it’s got the great outdoor space.”

Musical headliner Jet Lag Jones and opening band Center Lane will rock the crowd outside, while people silently pounce on auction items inside.

“Our challenge is going to be to get people to go look at the silent auction and not just stay outside listening to the bands,” said Brennessel. “Jet Lag Jones has been with us for the last two years, and they do a real good job with a lot of cover music from the late ’80s till right up to today. The other band, Center Lane, is really going to blow some people away. They’ll go from Janis Joplin to Miley Cyrus. The lead singer competed in ‘The Voice’ and just missed getting on TV. She’s really good.”

The silent auction will have 45-50 items, including dinner for two at Kristian Niemi’s Bourbon on Main Street and a weekend at an Edisto beach house.

There even will be a pet costume contest.

“People had to email pictures of their dog in costumes ahead of time, and we had a number of them come in,” said Brennessel. “They’re going to have a chance to show off their dog and their costume, and people will vote by putting a contribution in a jar with the dog pictured on it. The dog that has the most money in their jar wins.”

Another way to contribute? Drink beer. Beverage South donated two kegs of Lagunitas IPA and two kegs of Turbodog Ale. For every cup of beer sold, the Humane Society keeps 100 percent of the profits.

“If we sell 200 beers at $4 a beer, that’s $800 for the Humane Society,” said Brennessel.

Every dollar helps. In its first year, the event raised $6,000 and last year, $12,000. This year, Brennessel wants to climb even higher.

“On the event page, there are over 1,000 people interested and over 200 said they’re going,” he said. “If 200 people show up, plus the people that don’t use social media or heard about us through other means, I think we’ll have a great turnout.”

Sounds like this could be a howling good time.

This story was originally published October 5, 2016 at 10:00 AM with the headline "Bring your dog Sunday to Woofstock for beer, music at Jake's on Devine."