This is an opinion column

Less than a year ago, when he was just a small pup, Chip Vest saved his owner’s house and possibly her life. Dr. Vicki Vest tried to get her new Golden Retriever to settle down, but he whined and barked until two in the morning. He was trying to tell her something: Her house was on fire.

Chip was right. The smoke was everywhere.

After the firemen put out the flames licking at her kitchen door, they said live embers from the outdoor grill had fallen onto the deck, burning the wood. They praised Chip as a hero and cuddled him. They wanted Dr. Vest to change his name to Smokey, but he was getting used to his name, so she kept it.

Now she can add a title: Chip Vest, VID. Very Important Dog.

On February 4, Chip and dozens of other VIDs will walk down the runway at the Dog Ball, the annual fundraiser for the Greater Huntsville Humane Society, a no-kill shelter providing adoption services and humane care for animals with no home.

Now in its thirty-third year, the event will be held at 5:45 at the VBCC South Hall. There will be purebred dogs and mixed breeds. The pedigree isn’t as important as the personality. A rescue dog can strut his stuff just as well as a dog who’s registered.

Owners and their dogs will walk down the “path of paws” so the guests can see them. Just behind the runway is a huge screen, like the kind rock stars use, so each guest will have a good view. The dogs are presented by their owners, and the announcers—Dorrie Nutt and Ginny Kennedy of WLRH Public Radio— will give brief background information about the pets and introduce them to the crowd.

In a way, these dogs are rock stars, too, at least for one evening. They are well-mannered and well-trained. They stay in their cubbies with their dog sitters and guests are allowed to visit them before their runway walk.

Over time, the organizers of the Dog Ball have leaned the logistics of how to create a smooth social event for dogs and humans. One year, a Great Dane snatched a steak from a guest’s plate. Lesson learned: Keep the dogs on a short leash until the humans have finished their dinner.

Service dogs are honored, too, those animals who help their owners cope with PTSD or physical ailments like seizure disorders.

Each year’s Dog Ball has a theme. Past years have been “Disco Down With the Hounds,”

“The Hippie Hounds of Woodstock,” and “Bad to the Bone.” This year’s Valentine’s theme is “Love is ReBARKable.”

While the themes may be corny, the fundraising is serious. Over the years, the Dog Ball has donated more than a million dollars to the Greater Huntsville Humane Society. And more and more guests come to the ball to enjoy happy hour, to bid in silent and live auctions, and to meet the dogs and the owners who love them.

For more information about this event, people can visit the website thedogball.org.