What’s more typically American than a kid romping with a dog? Or, especially in San Diego, seeing a kid pal around with a rescue dog? Or a free festival celebrating dogs where friendly leashed dogs are actually encouraged to attend? This year on Sunday, Feb. 28, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., the second Annual Doggie Street Festival returns to Liberty Station with a fun-filled, entertaining event designed to promote and celebrate adoption of shelter and rescue dogs and teach children about the importance of appropriate pet care and responsible pet parenting. At least 35 breed-specific rescue groups and animal shelters will bring adoptable dogs to this year’s festival at this year’s site at the new Liberty Station park at Preble Field, located at 2600 Cushing Road., between Dewey and Roosevelt roads. Here families and individuals can interact with volunteers from rescue organizations, learn about the various breeds and meet dogs auditioning for the role of lifelong best furry friend. Nearby will be booths filled with dog-friendly merchandise and services, while other vendors will offer tempting edibles for both humans and canines. In addition, there will be an “Ask a Pet Professional” booth staffed by vets and other pet pros with perspectives varying from traditional veterinary approaches to the holistic. They will be able to answer questions about health and behavioral issues, training, nutrition, spaying and neutering and environmental concerns. Entertainment will include the Paul Green School of Rock House Band, featuring talented young rock musicians from 7 to 17, as well as a return engagement by the Koalas, a local rock cover band. San Diego Gymnastics will present a choreographed performance. The Monarch School’s steel band is also expected to perform, while face-painters will adorn all comers. In addition to silent auction items of pet-related products and services, museum and vineyard passes, restaurant meals, overnight stays and sports and theater experiences, there will be an auction of original canine art donated by six area artists. A newly developed sister-city relationship with Loreto in Baja California will benefit Loreto’s rescue community with a “care package” to assist local volunteers with pet medical care and spaying and neutering services. Festival organizer Jude Artenstein, a San Diego-based filmmaker, documentarian and screenwriter, was inspired by the faithful companionship of her golden retriever Scout, who stayed by her side, nurtured her and helped her heal after a devastating accident. While recovering from her injuries, she began researching a documentary now in production titled “Rescue Me,” which chronicles the stories of a group of dogs, some lost or abandoned, some at risk of euthanasia in shelters and others rescued and adopted, through five American cities, including San Diego. While working on her film she delved into the daily tragedies experienced by people and pets resulting from the economic meltdown, foreclosures and hurricanes. “While our nation is trying to pull itself out of the doghouse, millions of dogs are just trying to find one,” Artenstein explains. Determined to raise awareness of the huge influx of homeless animals abandoned or relinquished to San Diego-area shelters and rescue groups, she started the festival last year to connect potential adopters with their forever canine friend and to celebrate the heroism of the volunteers who donate their time to rescue and foster homeless dogs. About 100 dogs found homes through the first Doggie Street Festival, while the 37 participating rescues and shelters also connected with and recruited new volunteers and foster families in addition to placing dogs in great homes. This year Artenstein decided to shift the focus to education along with adoption, with the goal of “influencing people to get involved to help change the situation of dogs and animal welfare in general,” she explains. “Change almost always has to become institutionalized within the community.” The best way to do that, she said, is to reach and educate kids about valuing the lives of their pets along with teaching the importance of pet adoption, care and humane treatment. “How we save things in this world is to create empathy. When you respect life, you tend to want to take care of it,” she adds. Ann Pollock, a volunteer and director of Chihuahua Rescue of San Diego, participated in last year’s event and is looking forward to this year’s Doggie Street Festival. “This is a great chance for people to learn about the different characteristics of particular breeds from the rescue groups,” and to avoid making a mistake in adopting the wrong type of dog for specific living conditions or family situations. “If you have a 1-year-old it doesn’t mean you should have a small dog,” she says. Candy Schuman, volunteer executive director of the Spay and Neuter Action Project, praised the festival because it celebrates the unsung work of rescue organizations. “The festival raises awareness of how many animals are in shelters. It’s because of the rescue organizations that are taking out so many of the animals and finding them homes that the euthanasia rate is down in San Diego, but there were still over 50,000 in shelters last year. That’s too many,” she says. For more information and an up-to-date list of rescue organization participants, food and pet-product vendors and silent auction donors, please visit the website, www.doggiestreetfestival.org, or call (619) 276-4142.