No other Indiana event is quite like Mutt Strut! Presented by Harrison College, Mutt Strut is the signature fundraising event for Humane Society of Indianapolis (IndyHumane).Each spring, rain or shine, IndyHumane supporters and race fans alike, with or without pets, walk the famous 2.5 mile oval at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. For the third year in a row, this year’s April 28th event had a wet start. But the 6,000 supporters willed the rain away because they knew IndyHumane’s mission is too important to be dampened.
Under the leadership of this year’s honorary chairpersons, Indianapolis Colts vice president Kalen Irsay, IndyCar team owner Sarah Fisher, and IndyCar driver Graham Rahal, Mutt Strut attracted participants from 15 states and from 91 cities in Indiana.
More than 6000 walkers believe so strongly in the work of IndyHumane that they collected donations from family, friends and coworkers. This year, participant fundraising increased more than 27 percent compared to last year. The number of donors was estimated to be more than 2,000 (500 more than 2011), which reinforces the mission and successes of IndyHumane throughout the community.
This year’s top fundraiser, Karen Davis, single-handedly raised nearly $7,500 on behalf of Mutt Strut. Her dog, Pierce, will be the “Top Dog” during IndyHumane’s 2013 Mutt Strut, serving as IndyHumane’s “ambassadog.” Packs (aka “teams”) also competed to be the top fundraising group. Simon PAW-perty Group took the number one spot, raising more than $19,000. First Friend K-9 Training gave them a run for their money, raising more than $15,000.
Mutt Strut could not take place without the generosity of our corporate sponsors as well. This year 72 corporate sponsors helped defray event costs. They are acknowledged on the sponsorship page; please communicate your thanks for their support if you interact with them.
Many of our corporate sponsors and 20 non-profits joined the festivities at “Party on the Plaza.” Those festivities included information, entertainment and canine demonstrations by Indy Dog and Disc Club, IndyHumane’s Canine Training School, Midwest Search Dogs, Methodist Hospital’s K-9 Unit and others.
Grand marshals included Sarah Fisher, Kalen Irsay, Channel 6 chief meteorologist Kevin Gregory, radio station I-94’s host Marco and Harrison College president Jason Konesco. Canine grand marshals included Butler University’s Blue II and Blue III (“Trip”) and the 2011 Top Dog, Siberian husky Lepa and her owner Wendy Goshert.
Don’t forget: IndyHumane doesn’t euthanize animals for lack of space or time. Our medical team spays/neuters every animal before adoption and provides a range of life-saving treatments to animals in need. Without your support, we could not afford to invest the $600 to $800 in the animals who so need our help.
If you joined us at Mutt Strut 2012, thank you! Help us recruit even more supporters for the 2013 event by inviting your friends! “Bark” your calendar for Saturday, April 27, as Harrison College presents the tenth annual Mutt Strut benefiting the Humane Society of Indianapolis.
