Roe Borunda / The Collegian
Fresno dog owners were given the chance to give to charity while exercising, along with man’s best friend, Saturday at the 13th annual Wiggle Waggle Walk and Furry 5K Run on campus.
The fundraiser was put on by The Valley Animal Center — the largest no-kill shelter in the Central Valley. The center cares for around 500 animals.
Rosie Davenport, the community relations coordinator for the center, organized the event.
“Events like this really help us to not only get our name out there in the community, but also to raise money for the homeless animals in our care,” Davenport said.
The event began at 7:30 a.m. with the Furry 5K Run, where participants were allowed to run with their dogs alongside them or on their own.
After all of the runners finished, the two-mile walk began.
“A few hundred preregistered and then we’ll get a lot more who will come and register prior to the event,” Davenport said before the event. “Approximately 500 people will be here today.”
There was an obstacle course where dog owners could test their pet’s agility in between demonstrations by Mari’s Canine Crew. Doghouses were also raffled off as prizes for lucky participants.
A vendor fair near the finish line featured 22 different booths such as pet resorts, stores and salons for owners to pamper their pets.
Fresno State students volunteered to help with the event. Business major Bryce Greenfield worked with the center’s event as part of a project for his marketing class.
“It’s been really fun volunteering,” Greenfield said. “They have been really helpful to me. There has been some good communication and it’s been a good combination working together.”
Vera Kennedy, a professor in the department of sociology, took part in the walk with a group of friends she met at a dog park. She decided to participate in the event after hearing about it from a friend.
“It shows that the university is a good role model to students and that we have that expectation,” Kennedy said. “Not just the faculty, but also for the students to be civic-minded and to give back to the community.”