One of the main issues with the Gainesville area is the influx of pet purchases and adoptions that don't go through due to college students in the area. This means that shelters and organizations have to work extra hard to find good, fur-ever homes for pups in the city.
One of the biggest organizations, the Alachua County Humane Society, is a non-profit organization that's dedicated to helping dogs in the area find homes, keep them safe, and promote, overall, responsible pet ownership and adoption. The organization works to re-home doggos and boosts fostering programs.
Another popular shelter that helps hundreds of dogs annually is the Gainesville Pet Rescue. This organization focuses on rescuing homeless pets in Alachua county and presenting opportunities for fostering, donating, or volunteering. All animals taken into their program are guaranteed a home, regardless of the length of time they stay in their foster programs - a message they've enforced since their 1993 inception!
The event is put on by the University of Florida's Student Chapter of the American Veterinary Medical Association. It includes a 5k race, a one-mile fun run, a raffle, contests, prizes, and more! Make sure you leash your pup for the run, and don't forget to hang around after for the Drool and Ghoul Costume Contest. You and your dressed-up pup could win even more prizes!
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Make sure your pups are polite, fixed, and vaccinated!
If you and your doggo are less interested in sniffing plants, and more interested in sprinting around a park, check out Possum Creek Dog Park, a sectioned-off, fenced-in dog park that is packed with doggie-water-fountains, benches, and other, curious pups. For more variety, visit Dogwood Park, an off-leash park that's fully fenced and features two swimming ponds.