On Saturday, March 22, Auburn Parks and Recreation and the CARE Humane Society hosted Bark in the Park, an annual event celebrating responsible dog ownership. The event, held at Kiesel Park, lasted from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The nice weather attracted a large crowd of four-legged friends and their owners. Booths lined the park, some selling dog collars or homemade treats, others promoting veterinary services or doggy daycares.
“[Auburn’s Bark in the Park] is my favorite one. It is extremely well organized, and people always bring their dogs, so that’s very fun. They also have the humane society here, so I tell people if they adopt a dog, they can come over and get a free collar,” said Beth Nelson, owner of Heart 2 Hand Designs by Beth.
Nelson started her business while working at a rescue foundation to help dogs get adopted and has since expanded to craft shows and similar events. She sells handmade dog and cat collars, tote bags and artwork.
Other vendors included Rock 'N Mutts Dog Treats, Pampered Pets and Moores Mill Animal Hospital.
“[Bark in the Park] always has fun stuff for the kids [...] and then there’s lots of products and services available for pet owners to experience. We have freebies, which are little balls, some poop bags and ball throwers. We also have information about our practice,” said Karyn Ware, who works with Moores Mill Animal Hospital.
Kids could enjoy face painting, balloon animal making and Shele’s Sweet Treats. The event also featured live music and a food truck for attendees to enjoy.
“Bark in the Park is in its 13th year. It’s [Parks and Recreation’s] only pet event that we have for the city. Each year, more and more vendors come out, also just a lot more dogs,” said Trevor Culligan, event coordinator for Bark in the Park.
Culligan’s goal was to provide a space where dog owners could bring their pets to enjoy time together with other members of the community.
“One thing about Auburn is we care very much about our animals, and students bringing their animals. Each year, I see more and more pets,” Culligan said.
A group of dogs in costume at Bark in the Park on March 22, 2025.
Culligan also hoped to promote the CARE Humane Society. CARE had a booth set up that featured adoptable dogs and puppies, hoping to get longer-term residents seen by the community and teach people about opportunities within the humane society.
“We’re here with seven adoptable dogs, and we just have them on display for the public to come pet and hang out with. We'll take lots of pictures of them and get that posted on social media and hopefully just get them more exposed to potential adopters or potential fosters. We’re also educating people on how they can get involved with volunteering, donating and all the different ways that you can get involved and help our animals,” said Audrey Salazar, who is in charge of CARE's volunteer program.
Salazar emphasized that no matter how much or how little time one can donate to the humane society, anything helps. They are always searching for new volunteers or interns to help clean kennels, hang out with the animals, walk dogs or write biographies for adoptable pets.
Auburn Therapy Dogs also had a booth and was looking to recruit new members.
“We take our dogs into hospitals, schools, assisted living facilities, police departments and things like that. We're only a volunteer organization of about 18 members currently, and we have requests every single day [that people] need dogs to come into this situation or that situation. We just need more dedicated members to be able to fulfill these requests,” said Kayla Wheeles, a volunteer with Auburn Therapy Dogs. “We're looking for dogs who are good-natured and like people, well-mannered who would be interested in going through the certification process.”
To become certified, owners and their dogs must undergo a series of evaluations with local, certified testers. These evaluations include observing handling skills, the dogs' behaviors in various environments and their reactions to different people. Additionally, one must complete paperwork and an online test to demonstrate an understanding of handler responsibilities.
After walking along the trail of vendors, many owners opted to take their furry friends to the large, fenced-in play area for the dogs to run around in.
“This is my favorite Bark in the Park — I’ve been to other ones in other cities, but I just really like this one. It’s just really nice because a lot of the same vendors come and so you get to actually make friends with some of them. It's nice to be able to support small, local artists and give back to the community,” said Mary Jo Berkstresser, an Auburn alum attending the event with their dogs, Titan and Honey.
With happy dogs, enthusiastic owners and a variety of local vendors and organizations, Bark in the Park proved to be a success. The event fostered a strong sense of community among Auburn's animal lovers, highlighting the city's dedication to responsible pet ownership and the well-being of its furry residents.
To learn more about volunteer opportunities with CARE, one can email volunteer@carehumane.org.For more information regarding Auburn Therapy Dogs, one can visit their social media page or email them at auburntherapydogs@gmail.com.
Do you like this story? The Plainsman doesn't accept money from tuition or student fees, and we don't charge a subscription fee. But you can donate to support The Plainsman.
Sam Vise, senior in journalism, is the Assistant Culture Editor for The Auburn Plainsman. She has previously served as a culture writer and community reporter.
