T-Town PAWS will host the Wag n’ Walk 5K this weekend where dogs and their owners can participate and help create opportunities for dogs without homes.
The event will take place at the UA outdoor pool complex Saturday, Oct. 9. Registration begins at 8 a.m. with a $25 registration fee, and the race kicks-off at 9 a.m. The first 150 registrants will receive a t-shirt and gift bag.
In addition to the 5K, there will be a Dog Splash with games, prizes and face painting while the dogs swim in the pool after the walk.
“There are tons of volunteer opportunities available for students that want to get involved with the events this weekend and in the future with T-Town PAWS,” said Kayla Anthony, community outreach coordinator.
“This weekend there are shifts set up for what they need done with the Wag n’ Walk to help the runners stay hydrated as well as the animals,” she said. “Also, at the Dog Splash, we will need help with making sure that the dogs in the pool are getting along.”
Another component of the Dog Splash is a dog named, “Naked.” There will be a chance for people who attend to make a donation to walk the dog and get a T-shirt that says, “I walked Naked for T-Town PAWS,” she said.
There are other opportunities for volunteering with T-Town PAWS such as helping with the care for the dogs so that they are getting attention and love, she said.
“In the afternoons it is important that we socialize the dogs with humans as well as with other dogs,” she said. “This is important for if the dog is adopted, it is able to interact with the owner and another dog if the owner already has one.”
Jilisa Milton, a senior majoring in social work, said she has participated with T-Town PAWS on two occasions.
“With my sorority Sigma Lambda Gamma, we co-hosted an event with T-Town PAWS where we sat outside in front of a store and waited for people to come by and ask about adopting an animal,” she said. “There were two dogs that got adopted that time and made the event really successful.”
She said that the purpose of this organization is to help with overpopulation and adoption so that these animals can be placed in a home.
T-Town PAWS also works closely with volunteers from Bama PAWS, a student organization that holds meetings and volunteers on a regular basis with T-Town PAWS.
October is also adopt a dog month, and T-Town PAWS is consistently doing things to get the animals into homes.
“Another thing we are doing to consistently promote animal adoption is our adoption room in Pet Supplies Plus,” Anthony said. “We want volunteers that have been consistently volunteering that know the animals so that we ensure we properly match the owners with animals.”
