The Humane Educational Society will host the 17th annual Paws in the Park on Saturday, Oct. 19, at Ross’s Landing. Festival-goers can enjoy vendors, food trucks, adoptable pets, and more. Highlights will include Chattanooga’s largest annual dog walk, a dog/human costume contest and, new this year, a dog cake-eating contest.
Hundreds of animal lovers will gather at the event to raise money for the animals at HES. The dog walk is a way to support the shelter’s mission to provide education and outreach to the community, medical services for needy animals, humane investigation, shelter for homeless animals, and strong adoption programs striving to ensure all animals adopted have safe and loving forever homes. Supporters can choose to walk solo, with their dog(s) and family, or they can rent a shelter dog for the day.
After the dog walk is one of the most anticipated events of the day. The dog/human costume contest, sponsored by Nooga Paws, is free to enter. Dozens of animals dress up every year to participate in the competition, where costumes have ranged from well-known to unique characters, and from frightening to funny. Prizes will be handed out for best dog/kid costume, best dog costume, and best adult/dog costume.
New this year is a dog cake-eating contest, sponsored by Chatta-Cakes Bakery and Petsense. Contestants must preregister for this competition, as limited spaces are available. The cake-eating contest will have two rounds: one for small dogs and one for large dogs. Six dogs can compete in each round, with a $10 donation to enter. The dog that eats his cake the fastest will win, and will receive a gift basket from Petsense.
Paws in the Park participants are encouraged to register early to be guaranteed an event T-shirt for themselves and bandanna for their dog. Registration is now open on the HES website at heschatt.org.