Hundreds of people and their dogs donned their best costumes for the Mutt Strut Saturday, an annual fundraiser supporting the Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society (PAWS), the city's largest nonprofit animal rescue.
Nicki McGuigan, a PAWS volunteer, was among the attendees, with her dog Parker in what she said was her 11th Mutt Strut.
“I love him so much. He's our first baby, so he's the best,” McGuigan said.
The event brought together dog lovers and their pets to raise money for PAWS, which provides low-cost veterinary care and matches adoptable dogs with families.
Attendees also got a chance to meet dogs available for adoption.
“[The dogs] were surrendered to the city shelters for a variety of different reasons, but for whatever reason, PAWS is a safe respite for them to enter a foster home, decompress,” said Cory Topel, manager of communications for PAWS.
For Durene McCarty, last year's Mutt Strut was life-changing. She met Petey, the dog she would adopt just days later.
“He definitely healed our hearts from losing our other dog,” McCarty said. “He was in a foster home, and Petey was just the best. He's been the best.”
This year's event raised $130,000, according to Topel, ensuring that PAWS can continue its mission to care for animals in need.
“It's just nice to know that someone is fighting on behalf of animals that don't have homes,” McGuigan said.
McCarty said attending was a joyful experience.
“I look around at all these wonderful people here who have all these wonderful dogs for adoption,” she said. “I'm crying because I know how much [Petey] meant to me.”
