Bark in the Park returns to Animas Park with doggie dash, adoption fun

Families, dog owners and would-be adopters will have a full day at Animas Park when Bark in the Park and Doggie Dash return on Saturday, April 25, with the event doubling as a shelter showcase and a chance to move animals closer to homes. The Doggie Dash will start at 10 a.m. and cover an approximately two-mile loop, followed by Bark in the Park from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. near the Farmington Regional Animal Shelter at 133 Browning Parkway.

The course will begin at the Riverfest Runs location in Animas Park, and participants will need to stop at check-in to sign a waiver. Pre-registration for the Doggie Dash will run through April 18 at 5 p.m. for those who want a free event T-shirt, and shirts will have to be picked up on event morning between 8:30 and 9:45 a.m. On-site registration will also be available during that same window, but without a T-shirt.

Beyond the race, the shelter and the City of Farmington are setting up a day built around games, vendors, activities, puppy yoga and an adoptable pet parade. The city describes the event as educational and entertaining for the whole family, and the format is designed to keep people at the park long enough to see the animals, meet shelter staff and consider adoption.

One of the clearest faces of that effort is Jasmin, the shelter’s Pet of the Week. The one-year-old mixed-breed dog has one blue eye and one brown eye and is available for adoption. The featured pet spot rotates between the Farmington and Aztec shelters, giving the event a broader reach than a single-day outing and putting a specific animal in front of the public.

For the shelter, the value of the event goes beyond a morning run. It keeps the animal rescue operation visible in one of Farmington’s busiest outdoor spaces and gives families a reason to connect exercise, recreation and pet adoption in one place. For anyone headed to Animas Park, the day offers a straightforward choice: walk the two-mile loop, spend time with shelter animals or do both.