The Strut Your Mutt fundraising dog walk and community festival is returning to Salt Lake City on Saturday, Oct. 17. Held at Liberty Park from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., the event serves as a fundraiser to help save homeless dogs and cats in communities throughout the U.S., according to a Best Friends Animal Society announcement published Oct. 15.
Participants can register for the event to receive a gift bag and a Strut Your Mutt T-shirt, along with additional festival perks. The $35 registration fee can be designated as a donation to Best Friends Animal Society or to one of many participating network partners. While registration is separate from creating a fundraiser, individuals can choose to support specific animal welfare organizations through fundraising efforts.
Best Friends Animal Society CEO Julie Castle stated that the event holds a special place in her heart, noting that creating the event served as her launchpad into animal welfare. The organization has raised more than $13.7 million for animals through Strut Your Mutt over the past 30 years. Funds from the event support various lifesaving activities, including spay/neuter programs, adoption events, foster programs, veterinary care, and lifesaving transports.
Best Friends Animal Society works to end the killing of dogs and cats in U.S. shelters by increasing pet adoptions. While the organization has worked toward no-kill status since 1994, it notes that of the approximately 3,900 shelters operating in America, about 1,200 are not yet no-kill. Nearly half of those remaining shelters are close to reaching no-kill status, with 100 or fewer additional pets to be saved.
For those unable to attend the Salt Lake City event, Best Friends Animal Society offers several ways to support animal welfare, including fostering a pet, donating, adopting, or creating a fundraiser. Participating partners in the region include Salt Lake County Animal Services, Weber County Animal Services, and Animal Care of Davis County, among others.
