If there’s anything that the people of Central Oregon love, it’s dogs. Locals are often happy to participate in an event that includes and benefits dogs, and this year is no different. Street Dog Hero, a foster-based rescue organization, can attest, with its successful ongoing fundraiser, Heroes on the Run 5k.
Heroes on the Run is a family and pet-friendly 5k fun-run, benefiting Street Dog Hero. The event is the organization’s fourth annual fun run. Considered to be its biggest fundraiser of the year, the 5k continues to grow, helping the organization provide services and find homes for hundreds of stray dogs. According to Kristen Elrod, executive director at Street Dog Hero, the fundraiser raised $75,000 last year.
In addition to the fun run, which allows families and their furry friends to run or walk together for a good cause, the event also has a shorter kid-friendly run. Kids can stay entertained with exciting activities and participants can greet and play with Street Dog Hero alumni and adoptable dogs.
The fundraiser will host local food trucks for anyone needing a bite and the on-site beer garden will offer a cocktail station and various beverages from local breweries. The organization started the fun-run three years ago to create an annual fundraising opportunity and realized it was a great way to get dogs and families out and about.
Street Dog Hero was founded in 2017 by Marianne Cox. Today, the organization is bringing in and adopting out over 500 dogs a year.
“Our primary focus is to help dogs and the communities that they live in or come from through rescue, education and clinics,” Elrod said.
In addition to rescuing dogs that are in need of help and a home, the organization provides information and services to communities that need it. One of the many important services that it frequently provides are pop-up clinics for dog owners. These clinics, which take place both domestically and internationally, are set in a specific area for two to three days, providing spay and neuter surgeries for little to no cost to pet owners.
With the need to prevent more dogs from living on the street, Street Dog Hero is gearing up to start having local, on-site clinics that provide lower cost surgeries on a monthly basis to those who sign up. The nonprofit, based out of Bend, has recently expanded its operations into Portland.
The Heroes on the Run event will take place at the Athletic Club of Bend on Sept., 10. People can sign up for the event on Street Dog Hero’s website or onsite.
This article appears in Source Weekly August 24, 2023.
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