Anicira Veterinary Center will host Harrisonburg’s first Mutt Strut 5K on March 21 to raise awareness and funds for local pet support.
“Anicira is a nonprofit organization that has been serving the community for 20 years, and our mission is to end animal suffering,” Mary Golden-Hughes, the Director of Advancement at Anicira, said. “We’re always trying to resource new ways to offset financial barriers for people’s pet care.”
The Mutt Strut 5K will begin at 9:00 AM at Bluestone Elementary School on the Friendly City Trail. Water stations will be placed throughout the race for both people and pets.
“We thought the Mutt Strut would be a really fun way to gather the community together to raise funds for families in need to help cover the cost of unexpected financial pet bills, and also just raise awareness about the Anicira mission,” Golden-Hughes said.
Golden-Hughes said the Friendly City Trail is not too challenging to run, making the 5K accessible for many people.
“We welcome runners, walkers, and dogs of all shapes and sizes,” Golden-Hughes said. “Children and strollers are also welcome.”
Anicira is partnering with VA Momentum, an organization that hosts community-focused running and walking events to promote health and fitness. Golden-Hughes said this is the first VA Momentum race that allows pets.
“VA Momentum had a goal of doing something more pet-friendly,” Golden-Hughes said. “Oftentimes people would bring pets to their races, but they’ve never done one that was specifically for pets.”
Golden-Hughes said you don’t need a dog to participate in the race, but all dogs must be kept on a non-retractable leash for safety reasons.
“So far, we have had over 250 registrants and over 100 dogs,” Golden-Hughes said. “We also have some run clubs from Harrisonburg City schools coming to participate, too.”
The registration fee is $30 per person, which includes a t-shirt and bib number, with the remaining proceeds donated to Anicira. Registration is available online. The last day to register is March 20th.
“Last year, we gave about half a million dollars in free pet care to Harrisonburg,” Golden-Hughes said. “Every bit of money we raise really does make an impact on our neighbors here in the Valley.”
Golden-Hughes attributed Anicira’s success to the giving spirit present in Harrisonburg.
“The community support is just incredible,” Golden-Hughes said. “Through the generosity of our donors, the expenses we had for running the race are more than covered.”
Some of the donors for the Mutt Strut include Aristocat Cafe, Weiler Orthodontics, Cat’s Cradle, Shenandoah Valley Printing, along with many others.
“Events like this are really important for raising awareness of the needs in the community and encouraging a healthy lifestyle,” Golden-Hughes said. “This really fits into our Anicira vision of a happier and healthier community, which starts with your family. Pets are often the center of families.”
Golden-Hughes said she has hopes that the Mutt Strut 5K becomes an annual event.
“I hope that everyone just has a great time and enjoys the race and the sense of community,” Golden-Hughes said. “I also hope everyone leaves the race knowing that by running and walking with us, they’ve made an impact on their neighbors, and at some point down the road they’ve helped someone who would’ve been struggling to pay an unexpected pet bill.”
