A Columbus North High School freshman has organized an event in Mill Race Park to find adoptive homes for dogs.
Erica Bishop, 14, is organizing the Human Walking Project in Mill Race Park for the third year.
The event will be 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday and is an opportunity to volunteer to meet and walk dogs from the city’s Animal Care Services shelter, Bishop said.
The event typically brings about 25 to 30 dog walkers to the park. Bishop said she came up with the idea with her mom after discovering the concept in Australia.
“Getting the dogs adopted in a family is better than being in a kennel for the rest of their life,” Bishop said. “They don’t have a voice for themselves.”
Bishop, who hopes to become a veterinarian someday, encouraged the public to come out and walk a dog during the event.
“Maybe you can find a new best friend,” she said.
Bishop’s mother, Lisa Bishop, said her daughter has volunteered with Animal Care Services since she was 10 years old, describing her as an individual who has a deep love for animals.
“I’m very proud of her for her commitment for the animals in the community,” Lisa Bishop said.
Animal Care Services expects to bring 10 to 15 dogs for people to walk, general manager Nicohl Birdwell Goodin said. Applications for individuals seeking to adopt a dog will be available during the event, she added.
Dogs from two other shelters, C.A.R.E. and the Bartholomew County Humane Society will also be brought to the event.
“It’s nice for folks downtown to get some fresh air and meet some dogs,” Birdwell Goodin said.
Birdwell Goodin commended the teenager for her work.
“It’s something she’s incredibly passionate about and wants to help out animals any way she can,” she said.
