Valley residents and ASU students let the dogs out Saturday at the Arizona Humane Society's 10th annual Walk for Animals at Tempe Town Lake.
Arizona Humane Society President and CEO Cheryl Naumann said the event is one of the "key fund-raisers" that usually brings in about $65,000 and about 1,000 people per year. Total donation amounts from this year's event will not be known until later this week.
Naumann said the Humane Society took in about 40,000 animals in 2002.
"We are here to provide care for the dogs who don't have someone to care for them," Naumann said. "We hope people can find it in their hearts to support what we do."
Political science and sociology senior Jovana Ostojic brought her Bichon puppy, Romeo, to the walk.
Ostojic is the service chair for ASU's Kappa Alpha Beta sorority. She said the sorority came to show support for the Humane Society because it rescues dogs, and it was the first event with animals they'd heard about.
"I can't imagine life without my dog," Ostojic said.
Broadcast journalism freshman Ashley McNamee said she would have brought her dog, but it is not allowed in her residence hall.
Construction management junior Matt Cox said he would not live in any place that would not allow his 10-month-old Akita pup named Kobe.
"He's great," Cox said. "He's our fraternity house dog." Cox is a member of Sigma Chi.
The event attracted a diverse array of sizes, shapes and breeds of dog.
One dog, a Bichon named Henri, had bright yellow fur from dressing as a pumpkin for Halloween. Two little black dogs had dreadlocks.
Four Leonberger dogs attended the event with their owners, Roz Summerville, 53, of Glendale, and Tye Smith, 51, of Scottsdale.
Leonbergers weigh about 145 pounds and stand nearly three feet high. Summerville said there are only about 15 in Arizona.
This is Summerville's fifth year at the Dog Walk and donating to the Humane Society.
"My dogs look forward to it," she said.
Reach the reporter at lindsay.butler@asu.edu.
