'Mutt Strut' to benefit Springdale-based animal rescue

A foster-based animal rescue headquartered in Springdale said it needs help finding homes and providing medical attention for cats and dogs.

Paws Across Pittsburgh will hold its second annual “Strut With Your Mutt Walk” at West Deer’s Bairdford Park on Saturday, Sept. 12.

Founder and President Jackie Armour understands the need to try to reduce the spread of the coronavirus. But the need for animal rescue doesn’t go away because there’s a global pandemic, she said.

“We’ve had a huge increase of people trying to surrender their pets due to being evicted, due to not having money to care for their animals. The need is still there and very strong,” Armour said. “Outdoor events that we are able to safely have, we wanted to have them.”

All proceeds will go toward the rescue, which is run solely by volunteers. All money raised for the rescue comes from fundraisers, donations and adoption fees. Every animal receives appropriate veterinary care and treatments such as spaying and neutering and vaccinations.

The main piece of the event is the dog walk in which owners, foster parents and their dogs walk together through the 94-acre township park. The walk starts at 11 a.m.

Following the walk, there will be entertainment in and around the park’s pavilion. That will include vendors, a bake sale, a wine pull, a 50/50 raffle, auction baskets, arts and crafts, activities for kids and dog games. Lunch is included with a ticket.

Armour hopes to piggyback off the success of last year’s walk, which raised $6,000 for the rescue.

A registered nurse, Armour will make sure proper procedures are followed to make sure everyone is abiding by recommended health and safety guidelines. The park will allow for appropriate social distancing because it is spacious, though masks will be required in areas where six feet of social distancing can’t be maintained.

About 125 people attended last year’s event.

“Last year we had a lot of Paws alumni that came … which was really nice,” Armour said. “We get to see all of them.”

Kati Grimes is a foster parent for the rescue and also will be a vendor at the event. She adopted both of her dogs, Sebastian and Piper, through the rescue. Her business, Topaz Thimble, donates a portion of the proceeds from its animal-print coronavirus masks to the rescue.

“I actually really love Paws Across Pittsburgh,” Grimes said. “I like to try and help out where I can.”

Several of the rescue’s fundraisers had to be canceled this year because of coronavirus-related restrictions. The rescue has been working hard to promote any fundraisers that can take place within the permitted guidelines. A golf outing was hosted at Butler’s Golf Course in Elizabeth Township in August.

“We bring in and adopt out a lot of dogs and cats so we have to do a decent-sized fundraiser pretty much every month. Canceling everything was really difficult,” Armour said.