Walk for the Animals provides fun and entertainment to both people and pets

For one day, Karst Farm Park will be home to a canine water park, a doggie-dash obstacle course and a dog fashion show.

The Monroe County Humane Association and other volunteers will gather at 1 p.m. Sunday at Karst Farm Park for the Walk for the Animals. The event will feature activities for pets and their companions. 

Besides the activities for dogs, families can enjoy an agility course for kids, face painting and crafts or have a caricature artist sketch a portrait of the family, pet included, as a memento.

The day concludes with a group walking of the dogs and an awards ceremony honoring the top fundraisers in the youth and adult categories.

Sarah Hayes, CEO of the MCHA, said the event earns money through traditional and online fundraising. Unlike walks such as the Susan G. Komen breast cancer Walk for the Cure, funds aren’t based on how many miles a person can walk. Instead, all fundraising takes place before the event and ends at the beginning of the day.

“The event itself revolves more around activities for dogs and families,” Hayes said. “It’s more about showing support for the animals and less about the actual walk.”

All money raised directly benefits the MCHA. Hayes said the event is important because it helps teach the public about animal welfare and shows people ways they can get involved with the MCHA. For example, various animal-welfare organizations will be at the event teaching the public about important animal issues in the area.

Laurie Ringquist, director of the Bloomington Animal Shelter, said the event is a “great public education tool” because it teaches the community about issues such as animal overpopulation.

“The whole community needs to know about the county’s animal overpopulation issue because (the shelter) needs everyone’s help to solve this problem,” she said.

Ringquist said the shelter is bringing adoptable dogs to the event. Shelter volunteers will lead the actual walk and will introduce the adoptable shelter animals to the public at the end of the walk.

Virginia Metzger is treasurer of the MCHA Board of Directors and one of the top individual fundraisers this year. Metzger had raised $600 as of press time.

Metzger said it is important for people to attend the event even if they have not raised money. Besides fundraising, money is also earned from entry fees, which are $5 per dog for any participant that has not collected funds.

“There are also additional ways to spend money throughout the day, such as a bake sale, that benefit the program and earn money that goes towards the goal of the event,” Metzger said.

Last year, the event was a record success, raising more than $22,000. The goal for Sunday’s walk is $24,000.

Beyond reaching this year’s goal, Hayes said she hopes people come to the event and learn about animal welfare issues because suffering animals rely solely on help from the public.

“Every day we hear some story that tugs on our heartstrings,” she said. “Animals have no other place to turn and it’s crucial that people do what they can to help.”