Race (or Stroll) With Your Dog This Weekend

What’s better than a weekend run or walk through a recreation area? A weekend run or walk with man’s best friend.

annual “Wag Walk & Run” takes place Saturday in Eden Prairie’s Purgatory Creek Recreation Area. In addition to the usual races, the event has a six-legged run or walk that participants can do with their pets.

Helping Paws started in 1985 as a University of Minnesota pilot program, said Pam Anderson, the organization’s director of development. It’s continued more than a quarter century providing dogs to people with physical disabilities—such as spinal cord injuries, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy or Lou Gehrig's disease.

The Wag Walk & Run is in its 13^th year—and third year at Purgatory Creek. Last year, 525 people and 350 dogs attended. This year, Helping Paws aims for 700 people and 450 dogs.

“They’re all well-behaved dogs,” Anderson said.

Fun as the Wag Walk & Run is, the event is important for Helping Paws. First, it increases awareness of the organization. Participants can meet Helping Paws service dogs in training, watch dog demonstrations, visit the sponsor and vendor booths or enter dog contests.

But it is also crucial financially. It raised $60,000 last year, and organizers hope it will raise $70,000 this year. That money helps give the physically disabled the gift of independence, Anderson said.

The run offers variations with and without dogs:

One mile run for children 12 and younger

• 5K run with a dog,
• 5K run without a dog,
• 5K walk with a dog,
• 5K walk without a dog.

The event takes place on asphalt off-road trails that are ADA accessible.

It costs $20 for participants 12 and younger and $35 for those 13 and older. Online registration is open through May 16 at this website. Race-day registration takes place from 8 a.m. to 9:15 a.m.

Dogs must be leashed and licensed.

The children’s run starts at 9 a.m. The 5K runs start at 9:30 a.m. Prizes will be awarded to the top three male and female finishers in the six-legged 5K run and to the top three finishers of the one-mile run.

Purgatory Creek Recreation Area is located at 13001 Technology Drive in Eden Prairie.

More information is available on the Helping Paws website.