UW-Madison's football team may have tamed the Wofford Terriers Saturday afternoon, but a group of dogs had their day Sunday morning in the School of Veterinary Medicine's 26th annual Dog Jog.
According to the event's organizer, Professor Linda Sullivan of the School of Veterinary Medicine, almost 400 dogs and people participated in the two-mile run/walk, raising money for homeless animal shelters across Wisconsin.
Sullivan said this year's event probably raised at least $25,000, and not just for the dogs.
""The dogs are running, in essence, even more for the cats ... there are thousands and thousands of them [in the shelters],"" she said.
UW-Madison student volunteer Ann Heffernan knows what a difference the event can make. She volunteered at an animal shelter before adopting her dog, Coda, a few years ago. This is the first year Heffernan participated in the jog along with fellow veterinary medicine student Jess Huettl, whose twin chihuahuas, Cali and Kahlua, also participated.
""[Shelters] get a little money from the government, but they're mainly funded by donations, so this really helps pay for food, medication and payment for the workers,"" Heffernan said.
The race was complete with water bowl stations for the finishing dogs and treats for the winners.