Greenhill adds humans-only race to Bark in the Park fundraiser

Greenhill Humane Society is trying to remove one of Bark in the Park’s biggest barriers: needing a dog to take part. The shelter is adding a humans-only Fast Furless 5K when its 33rd annual Run/Walk for the Animals returns to Alton Baker Park in Eugene on Sunday, May 17.

The change is small on paper, but Greenhill is treating it as part of a larger push to widen participation in Lane County’s best-known animal fundraiser. The event is Greenhill’s largest fundraising day of the year, and organizers are aiming to raise more than $100,000 to help care for more than 5,500 animals. Greenhill said it had already cared for more than 400 animals since the start of the year, a reminder that the shelter’s costs remain high even as spring events fill the calendar.

Kelly Fleischmann, Greenhill’s community engagement manager, said the goal is to make the event family-friendly and accessible, whether participants want to run, walk, bring a dog or simply spend time in the park. The new Fast Furless 5K starts at 8:30 a.m. The 5K and 10K run-walks, with or without dogs, start at 9:05 a.m., and the 2K run-walk, also open with or without dogs, starts at 9:05 a.m. Eclectic Edge Racing is handling timing and race management.

Bark in the Park has already shown it can draw a crowd. In 2025, the event brought in more than 1,100 human participants and about 700 dogs, along with more than 60 vendors. That turnout makes the fundraiser one of the more visible spring events at Alton Baker Park, but it also sets a high bar for growth. The real question is whether the new no-dog option will materially lift attendance and donations, or simply make the event more convenient for people who already planned to support Greenhill.

For Greenhill, that distinction matters. A no-dog race opens the door to runners and walkers who want to give but do not have a pet, cannot bring one, or prefer a standard race format. Children 12 and under can register for free, all participants receive a bandana, T-shirts are available while supplies last, and day-of registration costs $5 more. With the course running through the Riverfront Park area, the fundraiser is designed to be as much about access as it is about celebration, while still keeping the money flowing to animals in Greenhill’s care.