The CPO Charity Walk and Wag will be kicking off on Sunday.
The annual fundraiser helps raise money for the Lakeland Humane Society (LHS), and is put on by the Community Peace Officers of Cold Lake.
“This money is going to be for buying food, and for paying for veterinary care which is one of our biggest expenses,” said Cathy Olliffe-Webster resource development coordinator for the Lakeland Humane Society.
Last year, LHS spent over $55,000 in veterinary care alone.
“That's always a big deal,” Olliffe-Webster said, adding the LHS is also fundraising for a new shelter.
It is because of donations the shelter receives from events such as this they are able to keep their doors open and animals safe.
“We couldn't survive without donations, and we absolutely depend on the community for everything. We are run by volunteers, we are a charity, so everything that we get helps us look after animals,” noted Olliffe-Webster.
The Walk and Wag is hosted as a fundraiser, but also to help remind the public about the importance of the humane society, and that they are always an option when looking to bring a pet into the family.
This year walkers will meet at the Lakeland Humane Society on Oct. 2 at 2 p.m. From there, walkers and their pets will make their way to the Lions Park and back again, where they will be welcome to coffee, hot chocolate, and goodie bags for their furry friends.
The event was hosted for the first time last year as a means of getting families out of the house, while raising funds and awareness at the same time, said Senior Community Peace Officer Ryan Deschamps. Last year Walk and Wag raised a total of $140 and even saw the adoption of a small dog brought to the event by the humane society.
Deschamps said, “We saw there was a need for the humane society to publicize a little bit more and see a little bit more community involvement as far as getting people more interested in adopting animals.”
Generally the kennels at the humane society fill quickly, with some of the animals waiting for adoption for months at a time.
“It's just helping the humane society get a little more attention. It's not only for the dogs. They have a lot of cats as well that don't end up getting adopted,” Deschamps noted, adding the humane society also acts as a temporary home for animals lost or found at large, another fact that is sometimes forgotten.
The society looks forward to the event every year, and appreciates all of the support from local peace officers and the community.
Olliffe-Webster said, “These guys are awesome, and we work with them on a daily basis pretty much, they are our dog catchers so to speak, so we work with them and we know they love animals and they are good people.”