Pets parade at Promenade Park | Native

Dressed as a sizzling canine, Stephani Schultz’s terrier combine, Rey, didn’t appear to thoughts a pun at her expense.

“She’s 6 months outdated,” mentioned the 37-year-old Parkview Well being nurse, amongst dozens taking part Saturday through the Fort Wayne Animal Care & Management’s “Howl-o-Walkoween” at Promenade Park. “It’s for a superb trigger.”

The annual occasion is the group’s greatest fundraiser, with this yr’s aim set at $15,000. It featured a dressing up contest, pet stroll and prize raffles.

Holly Pasquinelli, neighborhood relations and training specialist for Animal Care & Management, mentioned final yr’s aim of $7,000 wasn’t met, however bettering pandemic situations have organizers hopeful.

“A fundraiser like that is actually vital,” Pasquinelli mentioned.

Significantly this yr as Animal Care & Management’s funds are underneath the microscope. The Fort Wayne Metropolis Council may ask Allen County officers to help with funding the shelter as a result of it takes in animals from Allen County.

Animal Care & Management has acquired lower than 4% of its $3.6 million 2022 finances from the county, however greater than 13% of the animals it homes are from the county, officers report.

Amy-Jo Websites, shelter director, has requested leaders to greenlight funding for brand new positions and enlargement prices. She says workers has labored to launch wholesome animals as a substitute of euthanizing them, nevertheless it’s troublesome as a result of the shelter is understaffed and wishes extra space for higher care.

“I feel shelters get a foul rap generally,” Schultz mentioned. “They’re doing one of the best they’ll to seek out properties for animals.”

Saturday’s fundraiser will assist.

“If we don’t win for many spooky, then I don’t know,” joked Janet Welch, a 47-year-old secretary whose face was caked with faux dried blood and donned a nurse outfit along with her pit bull, Laci, as a affected person.

“After I labored as a vet tech in Louisville, I acquired to see what number of animals are euthanized,” Welch mentioned. “It’s unhappy.”

Virtually 1 million canine and cats are put down yearly, in response to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

Brian Pickell, a 53-year-old Bluffton retiree, mentioned he attended Howl-o-Walkoween to supply ethical help to his spouse, an animal shelter volunteer who was dressed as a jockey.

He additionally minded Set off, the couple’s 4-year-old greyhound, who had a racing harness connected to his physique.

“I simply welded a seat onto this to go together with the costume,” Pickell mentioned. “I’m right here to point out help. No one sees the quantity of pets that get euthanized.”