August 26, 2025. It’s National Dog Day, and Kate the Mate deserves to be celebrated!

For the past nine years, our precious Winston-Salem (NC) AARF Rescue has served honorably as a Mate on “Slow Dance.” For six of those nine years, she celebrated her July 8th birthday while cruising. She has weathered storms, rough waters, heat, and pesky biting flies while CruisingTheICW. She takes it all in stride. Kate’s mother was a Brittany Spaniel, and her father a Boykin Spaniel. She is as sweet as she is beautiful and loves spending time with her crew, no matter where we are cruising or what we are doing. She knows who gives out treats in every port we have visited. Year after year, she takes us right back to the treat givers. This past July 8, she turned twelve years old.

Happy NATIONAL DOG DAY, Kate. You make our days complete.