Dog Day Downtown is an annual event in Evansville, Indiana that helps collect funding and spread awareness for organizations in the community. This year, it took place on September 16, 2023, from 11am to 2pm, and it invited community members and their dogs to enjoy the festivities on Main Street.

Dog Day brings together a mix of non-profit organizations, small businesses, event sponsors, and local volunteers for a fun and interactive afternoon. The attending booths run along both sides of Main Street, offering dog treats, care services, photo booths, or information on how to help support the animals in Evansville. The care services include free nail trimmings, vaccines, and microchipping on a first-come-first-serve basis, which are funded entirely by the organization that distributes them.

This event centers around community building and providing a happy, healthy, and loving home for all dogs. Dog Day Downtown is presented by German American Bank, and sponsored by several other organizations, including F.C. Tucker Emge Realtors, Southern Indiana’s leading real estate Company.

“Our downtown office is heavily involved in the Evansville community, and this is a great event to be a part of each year,” said F.C. representative Nikki Davis. “We are out here today offering free pictures and treats for anyone who would like a picture with their dog.”

This year, during the 4^th annual Dog Day Downtown event, several non-profit organizations were represented. Vandenburg Humane Society and It Takes a Village No-Kill Rescue are both committed to giving animals the best possible quality of life, spreading awareness, and offering services to help dog owners care for their pets properly.

Vanderburgh Humane Society (VHS) is a non-profit shelter that runs 100% on donations, and this year they brought several of their puppies with them to give puppy cuddles, all of which are available for adoption. They also provided free microchipping for dogs in attendance.

Events and fundraising coordinator, Mackenzee Mckittrick, said, “A lot of people only see us as a humane society where you can adopt a pet, but not everyone knows about our other services, like our spay and neuter clinic or our services like vaccines and microchipping.” VHS holds two large Fall events locally and an annual auction in May.

“We want to be a resource in the community to make sure that dogs are staying happy and healthy in the home and getting all the care they need,” said Mckittrick.

Tammy Schmitt also attended Dog Day Downtown this year, representing It Takes a Village No-Kill Rescue, as their board chair. They are a rescue organization that takes in animals no matter the breed or circumstances and finds them their forever homes. Their efforts are to help more people keep their animals in home as best they can, so they don’t have to rehome them.

“We love days like this where they’re offering affordable or free health care, free nail trims, and free resources,” said Schmitt. “We are overflowing right now, and dog day is a great way to spread awareness and try to find safe and loving foster homes for these dogs.”

To help either of these organizations, donations are accepted and greatly appreciated, as well as advocating for the messages that they represent. “Help in any way you can,” said Schmitt, “even if you are just bringing attention to organizations like ours or anyone else out here today.”

Main Street welcomed Evansville Obedience Classes (EOC) to Dog Day Downtown, educating owners about the importance of dog training at any age. EOC offers obedience classes for puppies up to advanced levels, and they compete nationally in obedience and agility competitions.

Alley Metzger, a representative for EOC said, “Training is really important for safety, especially when it comes to basic recall and making sure your dog will come back to you. There are so many lost or stray dogs out here in Evansville, and we want to help prevent that for as many families as possible.” Metzger said her favorite part of Dog Day Downtown is seeing the different breeds of dogs and getting to visit with them.

Dog Day Downtown is an annual event that brings like-minded individuals together and educates the community on quality animal care. Individuals who are interested in funding or supporting these organizations can find the contacts linked below and are encouraged to follow their social media accounts for updates. Whether you are an animal owner or an animal lover, Dog Day Downtown is a fun and welcoming event that adds to the community and supports the pets of Evansville.