ST. George — You can probably find someone running every day of the year in St. George.
The city is also known for hosting marathons, half marathons, and even Ironman events.
But for many runners in the area, something was always missing.
“This is my dog, Mr. Koda. He's two years old,” Shay Potter said.
When Shay Potter and her friends found out St. George was hosting a race where pets could run alongside their humans, they cleared their calendars.
The I Love Pets Fun Run was held in St. George on Saturday. (Mark Weaver, KSL TV)
“It saves us,” Potter said. “It's very active. I'm finally able to take my dog out for the first time.”
On Saturday morning, the I Love Pets Fun Run was held at the Tonaquinto Nature Center.
There were 5kms, 10kms, and even a mile.
St. George city leaders decided to host the event after several residents approached them about it.
“We want to do what the community wants, and for years people have been asking for pet-friendly racing,” said St. George Recreation Manager Aaron Mettler. “When we had the time to put this into our schedule, our first thought was that the community wanted this event.”
all pets invited
It wasn't just for dogs.
Cats were also invited.
In fact, any pets were welcome.
“They say it's a hamster,” said Mr. Mettler. “One of the staff members was trying to bring a snake and I can’t tell you how many people were happy about that.”
Perhaps it didn't matter. Because everyone was having a great time, whether their pets were being walked, carried in strollers, or even held.
“It was really fun to see how we had all the pets and so many dogs,” Finn Joines said. “Our dog definitely liked it. Right, Major?”
The race was limited to 150 humans and their pets. Because this is the first race and no one knows how all the pets will get along.
“This horse has a little bit of an ego that he wants to show off there, but everything else was great,” Potter said.
The event was so successful that organizers are already talking about next year.
“We hope this becomes a tradition for years to come,” Mettler said.
The Pet Fun Run also helped highlight a new section of the Tonaquinto Nature Center.
It is called the Rainbow Bridge Pet Memorial and is dedicated to the good boys and girls who have passed away.
