Pets Fur People hosts festival, dog race in Tyler as part of Pets in the Park

The main event was the dachshund races, which saw over a dozen weiner dogs run to their owners from a gated start line.
Published: Oct. 7, 2023 at 12:53 PM CDT
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TYLER, Texas (KLTV) - Pets Fur People hosted their 18th annual Pets in the Park Day in Berfield Park on Saturday. The main event was the dachshund races, which saw over a dozen weiner dogs run to their owners from a gated start line.

“They are the most fun because you never know what’s gonna happen when they leave that starting gate,” said Gayle Helms, the executive director of Pets Fur People.

All racers donated $10, and donations from other events throughout the day benefited Pets Fur People, which is a non-profit shelter that receives no government funding.

“We only operate by donations, so to have an event like this just raises the awareness about Pets Fur People and what some of our needs are,” Helms said. “It is also just a chance for people to learn what Pets Fur people is.”

There were a variety of vendors for pet owners to visit with. Other competitions included a dog-owner lookalike event.

Pets in the Park brings together fun activities and useful resources. KLTV’s JD Conte was on scene and describes the festivities taking place.