Exuberant doggos pulled their people along downtown Vancouver sidewalks Saturday in a pandemic-adapted version of the annual Walk/Run for the Animals, a fundraiser for the Humane Society for Southwest Washington.
“We’re just excited to get out and do something,” said Cherany Skelton of Vancouver, cheerfully working to control Finnish laphound mix Lila and “supermutt” Lacy. “It’s their first time out, too, and they love meeting other dogs. They just want to sniff every butt!”
Normally, a crowd of as many as 1,000 people and 800 pooches gathers at 9 a.m. in Esther Short Park for the annual outing, according to marketing and event coordinator Kyra Phelps, but this year the event was decentralized: spread out across downtown and across the day. Participants could begin walking the route at 9 a.m. at any one of seven stations set up by sponsoring local businesses, and could take all the time they liked to make the rounds — until 3 p.m., when the event shut down.
“This year, it’s go at your own pace and do what you’re comfortable with,” said Phelps.
