Turkey trotters start the annual run on Thanksgiving morning.
Photo by Kurt Hildebrand.
An estimated 640 runners and quite a few K-9s participated in the 8th annual Turkey Trot to benefit the Carson Valley Community Food Closet and Douglas Animal Welfare Group on a frosty Thanksgiving morning.
Co-director Tracy Votel said the Turkey Trot raises around a quarter of the Food Closet’s budget for the year.
“This is one of only two fundraisers we have during the year, so it’s very important,” Votel said. The other is the Share Your Christmas Food Drive 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Dec. 13
According to Votel, around 540 people registered for the run online and then almost 100 more signed up on Thanksgiving morning.
More than 50 volunteers took time out from their Thanksgiving to help produce the event.
Starting at Minden Park, runners made their way through the town as volunteers helped guide them through the route.
Douglas Animal Welfare Group Founder Cherie Owen was at the event on Thursday.
“This is just incredible, because we need to get the dogs and the cats in the public so people can see them,” she said. “That’s what it’s all about finding homes for these wonderful dogs and cats.”
Owen said she was encouraged after talking to a man who was interested, but not ready to take in another dog.
“That’s very thoughtful and very nice that they’re thinking about their chaos right now and they can’t use another dog,” she said. “When they’re ready, we get such high quality animals through there.”
Owen said it’s important for people to think about how much time they have to spend with a dog.
“There’s a whole bunch of considerations that people need to think about,” she said. “It’s wonderful that people think about how much time I have to spend with a dog, can I provide the training that’s necessary, am I getting the right energy level dog.”
Owen has lived in Douglas County since 1992 and has been involved with saving homeless pets since not long after.
She founded the Animal Welfare Group in 2000 and was named a Woman in History in 2006.
“We have a wonderful community,” she said. “It’s so supportive. We have such good dog owners. This is just a wonderful place to live for dogs and for people.”
