by Kelsey Warren-Bryant | Photos courtesy of 405 Animal Rescue
Looking ahead: It is 2 p.m. May 19, 2024. You are at the Red Coyote 405 Puppy Love Run at Lake Hefner.
Imagine running along a pristine trail along the lakeshore. The spring sun warms your skin as you stare at the glistening blue water. A breeze blows the scent of fresh lake air mixed with the sweet aroma of cooking at the food trucks you have just left behind. The best part isn’t the scenic views or the savory smells, though. It’s the fact that your best furry friend is running along beside you.
There are so many places you go daily where you must leave your dog behind, but not today. Today she is having a blast, the wind blowing her adorable little ears back as she patters alongside you. Afterward, you two will grab a snack to refuel at one of those food trucks as a reward for your hard work. Even better is that every penny you have spent this day will go toward a cause meant to help other dogs just like her find their own forever homes.
Welcome to the 5K
The delightful scene above could be your experience at this year’s annual Red Coyote Puppy Love 5K, hosted by 405 Animal Rescue partnering with Red Coyote Running and Fitness. The run will be held on May 19 if weather permits.
The partners’ first run, held in 2023, was a great success, and organizers are thrilled to bring it back. This year, a doggie costume contest will be held in addition to food trucks and the 5K. Participant are encouraged to dress their pets in fun attire.
Participating food trucks will be Yum Yum Bites, Black Cat Coffee, Brasco’s Chicken & Waffles, and Ozell’s Grill on Wheelz.
What Is 405 Animal Rescue?
An Oklahoma City–based nonprofit organization, 405 Animal Rescue is dedicated to helping dogs and cats get off the streets and out of kill shelters. The group seeks to provide as many safe havens as possible through a foster program, with the end goal of getting every dog and cat that enters the rescue into a forever home. Organizers also promote spaying, neutering, and microchipping to increase the return-to-owner rate.
One attribute that makes 405 Animal Rescue unique is its thorough adoption process. Potential adopters are required to go through several stages of vetting, including a home visit, background check, and contacting of referrals. The process to take a pet home from 405 lasts one or two weeks. The rescue attributes its very low 5 percent return rate to that process. To learn more about 405 and its adoptable animals, visit
https://www.405animalrescue.org or follow it on Facebook at https://www.facebook. com/405AnimalRescue.
Registration is $40 for the Red Coyote 405 Puppy Love 5K, and every penny will go toward helping animals at 405 Animal Rescue. To sign up for the run, to volunteer at the event, or for more details, type this link into your browser: https://runsignup.com/Race/OK/OklahomaCity/RedCoyotePuppyLove5K.
