Excitement filled the air as the 27th annual Wiggle Waggle Walk & Run kicked off in Pasadena, with thousands of participants and their furry companions bringing an infectious energy to the event.
Hosted by Pasadena Humane, the event had already raised an impressive $350,000, with more than 2,000 participants expected to gather at Brookside Park, located at 360 N Arroyo Boulevard, at the Rose Bowl.
One of the day's highlights was the highly anticipated doggy costume contest. Registration opens at 8 a.m. on Sunday, with the walk scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. A mobile adoption unit was also on-site, featuring five or six dogs available for adoption right at the event.
“There's a lot of dogs and people and a lot of volunteers,” said Kristin Sullivan, a volunteer. “There is so much energy, there is so much excitement.”
For Pasadena Humane, the event is one of their largest annual fundraisers, supporting vital programs like foster care, a kitten nursery, animal ICU, wildlife care, and more, all aimed at saving the lives of animals in the community.
“Animals are expensive to care for in kennel. And we have a fantastic community. We have an amazing support group. We are still getting in a number of strays. We are occasionally getting in some custody dogs. The fundraisers are vital to the mission,” Sullivan added.
The event is of particular importance this year due to the aftermath of the Eaton fire, with Pasadena Humane playing a key role in caring for lost pets.
“We are still caring for about 140 animals whose families just don't have a home to go back to. We are doing that at no charge to them, of course, but that is only possible because of the generosity of our community,” said Kevin McManus, a spokesperson for Pasadena Humane. “We have participants from all over. We have adopters from all over. We have supporters from all over . . . it is a really fun day, I am so excited.”
