By Luiza C. Beltrame
TAMPA, Fla. — With the city of Tampa being rated as the top dog-friendly city in the U.S., according to a recent analysis done by Tractor Supply Co., the city has seen more happy tail-wagging events. Bark in the Park was held on Feb. 8 by the Humane Society of Tampa Bay.
The event beamed with beautiful weather, more than a fair share of joyful dogs (and their humans), and tents filled with useful pet-related services such as walkers and veterinary clinics, an adorable pet costume contest, free and for-purchase merchandise, and yes — lots of puppy cups.
“This year the event is partnering with ZoomRoom [Dog Training], and we have their experts in there teaching dogs how to do agility,” said Regan Blessinger, the marketing and content manager of the Humane Society.
The donations from the event went to the Humane Society’s mission to keep taking care of all pet friends in need of a forever home.
Their goal was $200,000 and surpassed that by 2%.
“Everything goes directly back to the animals and their care. … We expect about four to five thousand people throughout the entire day,” said Blessinger.
Profit is used for all health needs, different treatments and adoption efforts. The event had multiple sponsors such as Florida Blue Health Solutions, UrgentVet, and The Salty.
Blessinger said UTampa students are more than welcome to help out at the Humane Society.
“Volunteer! I actually went to [The University of Tampa] and was a volunteer when I was a student. Come in, walk dogs, help with adoptions. … There’s a lot of different options for volunteering. Just come in and spend your time with the animals. If you live off campus, maybe think about being a foster,” said Blessinger.
“It doesn’t have to be a big commitment, just a couple of weeks would go super far. And just getting the word out, being pro-adoption, telling people what it’s like to adopt, and why people should adopt and not go to breeders. … It all goes really far,” she said.
“It’s a win in my book. I’ve been getting a lot of pets, and people tell me I look cool and adorable. A bit obvious, but always nice to hear it. … Are you gonna eat that?” said Chorizo the Pug (approximate free translation from dog-to-human English).
“With the turnout, there’s a lot of people interested in adoption, but there could always be more!” said Blessinger.
For future events, the Humane Society will host the SpaKitty Dinner on Feb. 27 for cat lovers. The event will be held at the Tampa Garden Club from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
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Photos courtesy of Luiza C. Beltrame.