Who doesn’t love going for an early morning stroll along the Boardwalk in Ocean City?! After all, there’s the fresh ocean air to revitalize you, the natural beauty of the Atlantic Ocean as your backdrop, and plenty of local spots to stop for coffee, doughnuts, bagels and breakfast sandwiches. Now, throw into that mix dozens upon dozens of adorable dogs wagging their tails and enjoying a morning walk with their owners while raising money for their local shelter and you’ve got yourself a perfect spring day. The 17th Annual Boardwalkin’ for Pets will hit the Boardwalk in Ocean City on April 23, which means you have plenty of time to make your plans to join us! Here’s the details on this year’s Boardwalkin’ for Pets:

When: Saturday, April 23, 2016; Registration @ 8:30am; Walk @ 9am; Contest @ 10:45am

Where: Ocean City, MD Boardwalk

Fees: You have the option of participating as an individual OR as a team, but either way the minimum fee (or fundraising goal rather) is $25 per person.

Dog Walking Details: Have a four-legged friend you want to bring?! Fantastic, all you need to do is register and walk. Don’t have a dog to walk? No problem, you can ‘adopt’ a shelter dog for the event. Arrangements need to be made in advance – call 410-213-0146. There are plenty of deserving dogs at the WCHS that would LOVE a good walk on the Boardwalk – give them a chance and let them get some exposure outside of the shelter where someone may meet them and decide to adopt!

Prizes: Don’t forget about the great prizes! Dog walk bandanas, t-shirts and lunch totes will be given out (prizes are limited however), along with a Grand Prize for the highest pledge earners – both individual and team – and the top child pledge earner. The Grand Prize Baskets are filled with great gifts donated by local businesses and the Child Prize Basket is filled with kid gifts. There will also be refreshments provided by Harrison’s Harbor Watch and Layton’s 16th Street Family Restaurant.

Contests: In addition to the contest to raise the most money, there are also contests for Largest Dog, Smallest Dog, Best Dressed Dog, and Best Trick. Contest winners will be announced at 10:45.

Don’t Forget the Felines: In honor of our feline friends, the WCHS is also hosting their annual Cutest Cat Contest. Bring a photo of your cat to the walk with your cat’s name and your address, phone number, and email address. The ‘Cutest Cat’ will be rewarded with a special prize basket. *Photos will not be returned*

Hungry for More: Saturday isn’t the only day to contribute, there’s also a Dinner and Silent Auction on Friday, April 22 from 5pm until 9pm at Adolfo’s on 13th Street in Ocean City. Tickets are $15 per person ($20 at the door) and includes a meal of your choice: chicken parmesan, spaghetti and meatballs, eggplant parmesan.

Sign Up Now: Interested in attending the dinner, the walk, or both? Simply click here to sign up ahead of time.

Boardwalkin’ for Pets is one of the largest fundraising events of the year for the Worcester County Humane Society, which is a non-profit, no-kill shelter that takes amazing strides all year long to help cats and dogs find loving homes. We hope to see you there!