Mutt Strut raises much-needed funds for area humane society

By DEANNA OVERMANN
Special to the Register & Bee
Published: October 11, 2008

Although the annual Mutt Strut may bring an adorable parade of local dogs and their owners to Ballou Park, it also raises greatly needed funds for the Danville Area Humane Society.

According to society director Paulette Dean, more than 50 dogs and their owners participated in the fundraiser. Sponsors backed individual dog-owner teams, who showed up and walked their canines in the park.

“With the sponsors and all of the donations — minus our expenses — we raised nearly $4,000 this year,” Dean said. “This year we also did something different and let people who didn’t have dogs walk a shelter dog. This worked really well — the dogs got to go for a walk, and the volunteers enjoyed it.”

The money helps the humane society do what it does best: save animals’ lives and restore their health and well-being. They have been in operation since 1975 and have operated the shelter since 1983.

“We serve around 5,500 animals a year,” Dean said. “We don’t turn away any animal. We have worked with dogs, cats, birds, goats, chickens, pigs, squirrels and so on.”

“We just thank heaven for the wonderful weather and that everything went so well,” Dean said. “It was great, and so many kind people showed up.”