6th annual Get Your Mutt Movin' helps get support moving for rescue animals

By Ian Swaby
| 10:00 a.m. March 29, 2026

Kellen Dorsch and his wife Alanna Giuliani sit with Velly.

Sarasota
Neighbors

It started out as like a small festival, at the time a joint project with the YMCA, but now has grown to about 250 runners and walkers, says event organizer Anne Middleton.

The Sixth Annual Get Your Mutt Movin' was held at Payne Park on March 28, raising about $45,000, according to the rescue.

Middleton says the annual event involves lots of former animals from the no-kill shelter returning with their adoptees, as well as many members of the community who come out to support it.

"Our animals, specifically, are animals that have no chance anywhere else, and it is just a beautiful thing to see them go through this change of being somebody's unwanted, to the gift in someone's life that heals them," she said. "So many times people will say this is the perfect pet for us, and it's just great to hear that, so it's great to introduce that to people."

In addition to a 5K run and walk, the event also featured a pie eating contest, in which canines competed in emptying cups of whipped cream.

In the race, Lee Chandler was the overall male winner, Ariana Pressimone was the overall female winner, and Sasha was the first-place dog.

"I just want to thank the community," Middleton said. "We have so many return people who do this event, return vendors who come back, and it means a lot to us to see these faces, and to know that they're out there supporting us because this is a hard mission to be a part of, and it really buoys your spirits and keeps you going to know that you're not fighting upstream, you've got a team."

Runners make their way along the course.

Susan Newman introduces Eaton to Constantine Hanzivasilis.

Jayson DaSilva, 8, of Brentwood Elementary's Brentwood Superstars, makes his way along the course.

Olivia Rose, 7, and her twin brother Lochlan Rose, pet Cali.

Greg Jaeger helps Guinness during the pie eating contest.

Carter Moore, 10, of Brentwood Elementary's Brentwood Superstars, makes his way along the course.

Robert Kowalski, author of "Busco: We are all just mutts after all!" sits with his friend, cartoonist Jerry King, in support of Satchel's.

Nicoletta Freda, 2, spends some time with Rexy and Georgie.

Raven Peters and Kim Livengood make the rounds on the course.

Nora Eck, 11, feeds Ruthie during the pie eating contest.

Janet Rice pets Hot Pocket, while talking with Kris Meyer, who is holding his dog Snookie.

Tanya and Carl Poleschner's dog Max makes quick work of some whipped cream during the pie eating contest.

Kyle Stuart and his daughter Kadence Stuart, 16, wear their medals.

Drawings of pets by cartoonist Jerry King are displayed at the table where he is seated.

author

Ian Swaby

Ian Swaby is the Sarasota neighbors writer for the Observer. Ian is a Florida State University graduate of Editing, Writing, and Media and previously worked in the publishing industry in the Cayman Islands.