JACKSONVILLE, Fla — (Note: The video above is from a previous related report.)
Looking for a four-legged friend to make your family complete? The Jacksonville Humane Society has you covered this weekend.
The JHS typically hosts its annual Mutt March Dog Walk & Festival this time of year, but with the changing times, the animal shelter decided to change up the format of the event for 2021. This year, the first-ever Mutt Market will take place Saturday, April 10, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., at JHS on Beach Boulevard.
Described as "a fun event for both ends of the leash," the Mutt Market will feature a day of free adoptions at JHS, including an open invitation for community members to shop and meet community partners. That includes local vendors of crafters, bakers, doggie massages, a silent auction and more.
Dogs are invited to attend, but not required. The event will feature plenty of options for cat lovers as well.
The event is free, but donations to support homeless cats and dogs in the Jacksonville community are appreciated. Masks and social distancing are required at the event.
All registered guests will receive a free gift upon check-in, JHS says. For more information, you can click here to visit the JHS website.
Last year, JHS switched its annual Mutt March to a virtual format, just weeks after the coronavirus pandemic began. The event is one of the biggest fundraisers of the year for the organization, with hundreds of people signed up last year encouraged to take their dogs on a walk around their neighborhoods.
JHS says this is a crucial event for them to raise money each year to help local animals. The organization budgets for the fundraiser to bring in thousands of dollars in donations each year and that money is then used to help homeless animals around Jacksonville.