by Dennis Dalman
editor@thenewsleaders.com
Dogs and their proud owners converged at St. Cloud’s Wilson Park on Sept. 10 for the 28th annual Woofstock Companion Walk, one of the biggest annual fundraisers for the Tri-County Humane Society.
At this Woofstock, $44,000 was raised as of Sept. 13. However, that is a preliminary amount as more donations and pledges are still coming in. This year’s Woofstock goal was set at $62,500.
A record number of people, 556 of them, walked with their dogs or other pets on the 5k walk.
The event, from 9 a.m.-2 p.m., included all kinds of activities, from a pooch-kissing booth to face-painting, from a hot dog-eating contest to an obstacle course for dogs.
A DJ played music as people registered for the walk and walked their dogs and a few other pets through the park, stopping to socialize with others and checking out the many vendors’ booths under tents.
There were also food and refreshments, a costume contest, a silent auction, demonstrations and fun games for pets and people.
The Tri-County Humane Society provides services for more than 3,000 animals every year. Each pet is evaluated, examined, given appropriate vaccinations and de-wormings, spayed/neutered, treated for ailments and injuries as needed, and given lots of tender, loving care.
There is no time limit for pets in the shelter, and provided they pass the health and behavior screening tests, they will remain in the shelter as long as necessary to find the perfect match.
On average, pets are adopted in less than 10 days, and in 2015, the staff placed 93.5 percent of the pets in good homes — a statistic that is remarkable for an open-admission animal shelter.
The annual Woofstock Walk fundraiser is vital in order for the Tri-County Humane Society staff and many volunteers to carry on their work for pets in need.
The Woofstock Walk is also a way for pet lovers and pets to have a happy time together in celebration of the human-animal bond.
Pets and their owners set out from the starting line Sept. 10 at Wilson Park in St. Cloud for the 5k Woofstock Walk, one of the biggest annual fundraisers for the Tri-County Humane Society.
Neighbors and “sisters” Daisy (left) and Skippy eye a bunch of big dogs at the Tri-County Humane Society Woofstock Walk Sept. 10. The two Schikkperke dogs are from different litters but the same parents. Skippy is owned by Marty Dubbin of Rice; Daisy is owned by Newsleader Editor Dennis Dalman, a neighbor of Dubbin’s.
Cherylley and Richard Wittman, a married couple from Sauk Rapids, sing the National Anthem just before the start of the 5k Woofstock Walk at Wilson Park in St. Cloud.
The registration tent was very busy for an hour before the start of the Tri-County Humane Society’s Woofstock Walk Sept. 10 in St. Cloud’s Wilson Park.
Squish, a Great Dane, and his owner David Vee of Cold Spring enjoy the late-summer morning as they prepare to take the 5k Woofstock Walk at St. Cloud’s Wilson Park. Vee adopted Squish from the Tri-County Humane Society.
Peanut the St. Bernard in a red dress snuggles up to his owner, Bryan Rahn of Melrose. The Rahn family and their pets have been walking in the Tri-County Humane Society Woofstock Walk fundraiser for five years.
Leilani Anderson of Sauk Rapids proudly holds her precious pet chihuahua Blossom, who was adopted from the Tri-County Humane Society.
Blossom the chihuahua sticks her tongue out at the reporter-photographer while casting a “don’t-mess-with-me” look. Her owner is Leilani Anderson of Sauk Rapids.
Mama D. romps in a pen filled with balls at the Woofstock Walk event Sept. 10 in Wilson Park. The dog’s owner is Nikki Anderson of Sauk Rapids. Mama D. was adopted from the Tri-County Humane Society
Dugal (left) and Maeve enjoy seeing all the dogs and other pets gathered at St. Cloud’s Wilson Park for the annual 5k Woofstock Walk. The dogs are owned by Randy and Brenda Fischer of Foley. The Sept. 10 event raised funds for the Tri-County Humane Society.
Two Woofstock volunteers pet two dogs, Daisy and Skippy, at the Tri-County Humane Society’s annual fundraiser in St. Cloud’s Wilson Park. At left is Kelly Santo Paulo of St. Charles, Ill. And her friend, Alexa Starr of Wasilla, Alaska. Both are members of the St. Cloud State University soccer team, and all of the team’s members volunteered at the Woofstock Walk.
Alyssa Brix of Sartell prepares to take the 5k Woofstock Walk with Bosco, her beautiful Samoyed.
