RICHMOND, Ind. – HELP the Animals is preparing to celebrate a milestone this summer as the organization hosts its 35th annual Pet Walk, a fundraiser and community event aimed at supporting animal welfare efforts in Wayne County.
The event will take place on July 18 at Glen Miller Park, with registration beginning at 9 a.m. and the walk scheduled for 11 a.m.
Nicole Kanney of HELP the Animals said the anniversary provides an opportunity to reflect on the organization’s long history in the community.
“That it’s huge,” Kanney said. “The organization has changed board of directors throughout the years, obviously, and staff and everything. So, we’ve been looking at a lot of the history behind how Pet Walk started, who’s really the catalyst for all of that. It’s been really great to see how relevant we’ve been in this community for how long.”
HELP the Animals, whose name is an acronym for Humane Existence for Lost Pets, provides shelter and care for stray animals, owner surrenders and pets in need of rehabilitation before adoption.
“That’s what is our mission statement,” she said. “We take in stray animals around the county. We take in owner surrenders when we have space. If someone really does need to give up a pet or something, someone has passed. Then we rehabilitate them, we get them healthy, we give them vaccinations…And then we get them ready for their new forever homes.”
The shelter currently houses more than 120 animals and continues to face ongoing needs for foster homes, volunteers and supplies.
“Its literally everything. If you have the ability to foster, we would love that because that opens up a space,” Kanney said.
She added that volunteers can assist by walking dogs or socializing with cats, while donations of items such as bleach, trash bags and cat litter are always needed.
The organization recently celebrated several adoption successes, including Tyson, a longtime resident who spent nearly five years at the shelter before finding a home.
Another success story involved Wyatt, a dog that gained attention last year after surviving traumatic circumstances.
“He came to visit a month ago and he is just living his best life,” Kanney said. “His owners, his adopters, are excellent and we’re hoping to see him out at Pet Walk again this year.”
This year’s Pet Walk will feature several new activities to commemorate the event’s 35th anniversary, including a pet walk homecoming court, vendor bingo, raffles and a “stupid pet trick” contest inspired by comedian David Letterman’s longtime television segment. Participants will be able to vote for pet king, queen, prince, princess and even a court jester.
The event is open to all pet lovers and animal lovers. Those without pets are also encouraged to attend and walk one of the shelter’s adoptable animals.
Kanney said the Pet Walk serves as both a celebration and a reminder of the challenges facing animal welfare organizations across the region.
“We are in a crisis, in an animal community crisis,” she said. “Our community has a crisis, and we are working very closely with the rescues in our area, but we are the only shelter, the only one that can house animals overnight the way that we do.”
Registration and donation information is available through HELP the Animals’ website. Community members may register to participate, seek sponsorships or make donations.
