The Capital Area Humane Society and the Ingham County Animal Shelter collaborated with Chosen Advertising for “The Waggin’ Trail,” an event meant to show people what the streets would look like if there were no animal shelters and to bring awareness to the homeless pets at these shelters. About 20 dogs were led around the downtown Lansing area from Oldsmobile Park to the state Capitol, while informational fliers and free T-shirts were handed to interested onlookers.
Lansing — A band of volunteers armed with dog leashes and pooper scoopers Wednesday morning marched around downtown Lansing in hopes of bringing attention to the plight of the 20 homeless dogs following them through the city.
The Capital Area Humane Society and the Ingham County Animal Shelter collaborated with Chosen Advertising for “The Waggin’ Trail,” an event meant to show people what the streets would look like if there were no animal shelters, and to bring awareness to homeless pets.
Advertising senior Kyle Hall, of Chosen Advertising, said he hoped the event would bring publicity to the humane society and animal shelter.
“We thought it would be a great idea to come out during lunchtime, parading through downtown Lansing and make people wonder ‘Why are all these dogs out here?’” he said. “The reason we decided to do this is because there are so many dogs that are not in homes right now that could be walking the streets — like we’re doing — without people like us having them on leashes. It’s to raise awareness.”
Ingham County Animal Shelter has 100 dogs and cats, which is full capacity. The Capital Area Humane Society had 73 animals as of Wednesday morning.
More than 2,200 dogs are admitted to these shelters each year, according to a press release.
Erin O’Donnell, development manager for the Capital Area Humane Society, said she hoped Wednesday’s event would bring attention to area animal shelters and result in adopted animals.
“Kyle basically put this all together, but we brought our dogs out here to raise awareness,” she said. “If people want a dog, we have plenty of nice dogs at the humane society.”
Pedestrians walking between the state Capitol and Oldsmobile Park watched the group make its way down the street and were handed informational fliers and free “Waggin’ Trail” T-shirts.
Volunteers held the leashes of one or two dogs and paraded them down the street, stopping to rest at crosswalks and pausing to speak to curious residents, some of whom were interested in adoption.
Ashley Horton, who works at Ingham County Animal Shelter, met a couple who were interested in adopting the brindle pit bull mix named Reggie she was walking.
Although neither the humane society nor the shelter offer off-site adoptions, the volunteers told interested residents to come by the shelter as soon as Wednesday afternoon to look into adopting a dog.
“We’re trying to let the community know about all the animals that are looking for loving, forever homes,” Horton said.
“Without shelters and places to take in these dogs, they wouldn’t have a chance. We provide them a chance, but we raise awareness in the communities and let them know what we’re trying to do.”
The volunteers walked the dogs for about 30 minutes around the downtown Lansing area and gave away all their shirts and fliers by the end of the walk.
The dogs were happy to find water bowls back at Oldsmobile Park, where the walk had started, and were loaded up in vans to go back to the shelter and hopefully find a new home.
“It all went pretty well,” Hall said. “We had a lot of people stop and ask what was going on, and it was a great day for it. Hopefully we will do something like this again.”
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