Strut Your Mutt fundraiser brings up to 1,500 people to Liberty Park

SALT LAKE CITY — Liberty Park was full of dogs and their owners on Saturday as Best Friends Animal Society held its 27th annual Strut Your Mutt fundraiser.

Julie Castle, Best Friends Animal Society CEO, said the event was held to raise money to help Utah become a no-kill state.

"Utah has 59 shelters; only 11 left to get to no-kill," Castle said. "That's incredible progress."

Despite the cold from recent weather, Castle said around 1,500 people came to the fundraiser to walk their dogs, and help raise money for pets in Utah shelters. According to the Best Friends Animal Society website, up to $55,164 was raised during last year's fundraiser.

Castle said the money raised goes to the society, rescue groups and also shelter partners. She said the money is then used to rescue animals, adopt, transport, provide medical needs and attention to animals.

Above all, the hope of animal society is to find the animals a home.

"The best place for an animal is a home," Castle said. "And that's our whole point, is to help shelter pets get out of the shelter and into great homes."

Adopting a rescued pet

Castle said she feels like there used to be a misperception around rescued pets.

"I think there used to be a misperception about how somehow shelter animals are damaged," Castle said. "I feel like somehow they know they've been rescued."

Now, Castle said she feels like rescued pets are considered to be cool.

"When I started my work in Utah 27 years ago, 45,000 animals were dying every year. That number is down to 1,600. That's remarkable progress," Castle said. "That is animals that are beautiful, loving, caring, sentient beings who deserve a good home. Anybody who's rescued a pet understands that. That's why we do the work we do."

People looking to adopt an animal can go to bestfriends.org and search for a nearby shelter or rescue group.

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