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Pets and Pet Lovers Participate in Dickson Street “Pup Crawl”

Pet lovers from all walks of life were able to enjoy downtown with their pups by their side Saturday in Fayetteville. It was part of the Dickson Street Pup Craw...

Pet lovers from all walks of life were able to enjoy downtown with their pups by their side Saturday in Fayetteville. It was part of the Dickson Street Pup Crawl. For $25 dollars, pets and their owners received a bandana, a T-shirt and a wrist band giving them access to restaurants and bars in the city's entertainment district.

Annie and Chet are Gail Nebben's children, as she calls them. All three strolled along Dickson Street for the first ever Pup Crawl, which raises money for the Fayetteville Animal Shelter.

"All of our friends have dogs, so we said what... a good cause to be able to come down and let the dogs have a good time as well," said Nebben, who added she adopted Chet from the animal shelter. .

"We just saw him and just our hearts went out to him. He was just so scared, just this little tiny thing," she said.

Organizers said Northwest Arkansas should be proud of its high rate of homeless pet adoptions. However, some pets still have to be euthanized.

"It's still really important that when people think, 'Oh I really think I want to add a dog or cat to my family," to think, "Well, hey maybe I should visit the shelter first and see what they have to offer,'" co-organizer Justine Lentz said.

This event also raises awareness for a local pet food bank.

"We help low-to-moderate income people by providing a voucher on a limited basis, three months’ worth of food so they don't have to surrender or abandon their pets," said Kyle Belt, redevelopment officer for the city.

As for pet lover Nebben, she said there is something special about rescuing and adopting a pet.

"I don't know if it's the fact that they have been chosen and that they have been saved or if they know it, but they're truly the best animals you will ever get," Nebben said.

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