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Cats and dogs find homes with highest bidders

Rick Fox | The News Herald

From left Tamber Ebert and Kala Duckworth peruse the Raining Cats and Dogs display Saturday at the Burke Arts Council's October Oyster Outing. The painted cats and dogs were sold through a silent auction.

By Julie N. Chang | The News Herald

Published: October 4, 2008

MORGANTON - At $1,000, Michael Baden's "Stay," a boxer on resting on his hind legs, went to the highest of all the bidders Saturday night at the Raining Cats and Dogs silent auction.

Businesses and individuals placed bids on all 21 cats and dogs, raising over $8,000 for the Burke Arts Council and Burke County Friends for Animals, President of Friends for Animals and Vice President of the Burke Arts Council Chip Saunders said.

The silent auction, held at the Burke Arts Council's October Oyster Outing on the Historic Burke County Court-house lawn, produced teeming crowds of bidders eagerly looking at their favorite cat or dog.

Perhaps the most heartwarming story to come out of the project was the result of bidding on Suzy Rowland's "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds," a dog on all four legs.

Students at Table Rock Middle School fell in love with Lucy, Burke Arts Council Executive Director Ann DiSanto said. Each student brought $1 to support the bid on Lucy, and the school placed a $700 bid.

Unfortunately Table Rock was outbid, Saunders said. But Rowland agreed to paint another dog for the winner, who agreed to let Table Rock have the original Lucy.

Patricia Davis, of Nebo, proved to be a winner as well. She won Michael Berley's "Merry-Go-Round-And-Round," a dog that included a carousel pole, for $275. Davis said she plans to put him on the landing going up the stairs in her home.

The endeavor started out as an arts awareness project designed to bring smiles to the residents of Burke County, Saunders said. But the project had a life of its own as the cats and dogs traveled around the county, eliciting more than just smiles but also positive comments.

DiSanto said the enthusiasm from the community was overwhelming.

The proceeds from the silent auction will benefit both the Burke Arts Council and Friends for Animals.

Saunders said he hopes to engage both groups in a joint project.