A relaxing day in the park? Check! Heaps of fun? Check! Taste-tempting food and shopping opportunities? Check! Easing Tucson’s homeless pet population and supporting animal welfare? Double check!
From the moment visitors arrive, the infectious buzz of laughing voices, children playing, live music and dogs barking in a manner that suggests joy and excitement, rather than fear or stress, surrounds them. With a festive carnival-like atmosphere, the happy vibe pervading the air at one of Tucson’s largest canine adoption events is absolutely palpable.
We’re talking about Dogtoberfest Adopt-a-thon, a fun, family-friendly gathering that has seen thousands of visitors pour in each year in late October/early November to either adopt or help support animal rescue here in southern Arizona. While this will be our sixth year hosting the annual event, we merely picked up the torch from Handi-Dogs, who started their own version of it years earlier, complete with canine games and a beer garden.
Founded by Alamo Reaves in 1973, Handi-Dogs—now known as Ability Dogs— is among the oldest assistance dog-training programs in the United States. The organization has helped thousands of people train their dogs to aid them in their day-to-day lives. Originally organized as a celebration of the bond between people and their dogs, we’ve shifted the focus of Dogtoberfest to animal rescue and adoption while maintaining that celebratory spirit.
Coincidentally, Handi-Dogs’ first Dogtoberfest event was held in 2002 at Fort Lowell Park, which is where we’ll be hosting ours in 2025.
This year, however, The Tucson Dog’s 6th Annual Dogtoberfest Adopt-a-thon has joined forces with radio station KDRI’s The Drive Tucson to help us bring the event to the next level. Our hope is that this translates to even more pups finding forever homes, thus lessening the strain on local rescues and shelters, such as Hope of Deliverance, Cherished Tails, The Animal League of Green Valley, HSSAZ, AZ Beagle Rescue, and so many others that struggle each day to keep up.
Randi & Matt Gentry photo by Kelly Ricard
In the past, meteorologist Erin Christiansen of KOLD News 13, KGUN 9 Good Morning Tucson anchor Claire Graham, and artist Diana Madaras have been on hand to help emcee and/or support our events, among other public figures involved in animal activism. While we never know who’ll be stopping by to help make the event a success, this year we’ve once again got the power of radio behind us.
A few issues back, we had the opportunity to interview Matt Gentry, the Director of Programming and the morning voice of The Drive Tucson, and his lovely wife, Randi, who cohosts with him on Tuesdays and Thursdays, for our May/June cover. The duo are lifelong pet lovers who have been working to raise the profile of rescue pets in the Old Pueblo and bring awareness to the cause by utilizing their platform as local personalities.
Also supporting the event is broadcast veteran Patty Ruiz, Vice President and General Manager of Bustos Media, the company operating not only The Drive Tucson but KVOI’s The Voice and KTGV’s The Groove, as well as two other radio stations, La Poderosa and Urbana.
During her career, she earned regional and national recognition for her work, including induction into the AAF Tucson Hall of Fame. Another animal devotee, Patty’s passion for dogs and animal welfare has become part of the culture at Bustos Media, inspiring every station she oversees to champion adoption events, support shelters, and use their platforms to make a difference.
According to Gentry, her management style and genuine heart for the people and pets of southern Arizona have given teams like The Drive Tucson the freedom to create authentic, impactful connections with listeners.
“Community is everything to her. Her fierce loyalty to the people and pets of Tucson fuels everything she does. She’s a passionate dog lover, known for championing animal rescue causes, and her leadership has sparked partnerships that go far beyond advertising, including a perfect collaboration with The Tucson Dog Magazine. It’s more than business; it’s a shared mission.”
On average, well over a thousand people visit Dogtoberfest each year, where we host hundreds of adoptable dogs. With the aid of our generous sponsors, like Bustos, we’ve assisted in facilitating thousands of adoptions, which is something we’re very proud of.
So, what can you expect this year? In addition to more than 150 dogs waiting patiently in our “Adoption Alley” for their forever person to come along, there will be plenty of entertainment to enjoy, including contests and drawings with great prizes and gifts. Since you’re welcome to bring along your own well-behaved pups, you can get dressed up and join the Halloween costume contests for some added fun.
The categories include Most Beautiful Dog, Best Dog Costume, Best Owner/Dog Costume, Best Kids Costume, and Biggest and Smallest Dog. In keeping with past events, there will be games for people and dogs, too, such as the ever-popular Hot Dog Bobbing Contest. Who needs apples when there’s a frank floating around?
As usual, we’ll have a KIDS ZONE for occupying the little ones with face painting, additional games and prizes, Halloween candy, and treats for the doggos.
Speaking of treats, there will be plenty of food trucks and booths on site to please a variety of palates, like Tucson favorite You Sly Dog, pulled pork and other American fare, delicious sweets, and Mexican food from another popular purveyor, The Quesadillas.
As for keeping the beat, this year Matt and Randi will be DJ-ing with a live remote broadcast to mix things up a bit. Their presence also means you can likely enter The Drive’s free classic car giveaway contest while you’re there. The vehicle in question is to be unveiled on September 20, so auto enthusiasts should keep their eyes and ears open in the coming weeks to learn the make and model.
Of course, as in prior years, there will be plenty of vendors on hand—which we couldn’t do without—showcasing pet-themed and non-pet-related products, merchandise, services, and crafts from local artisans. These booths are also a great place to get educated on a number of different issues near and dear to pet owners’ hearts.
A few of the most popular vendors in recent years have been Zoomies, with their mobile dog gym and treadmills, Tucson Veterinary Urgent Care, Camp Bow Wow and Gaia Provides Pet CBD. Gaia has organized an incredibly fun scavenger hunt with the other booths and vendors for guests to take part in.
Renewal by Andersen, Mary Kay, TEP, Truly Nolan, Done Right HVAC, and several Real Estate agents have also found ways to entertain visitors and their dogs with things like kissing booths and gift wheels. As Nigel from Zoomies stated, “These events are a highlight for me. Just the camaraderie of all the vendors alone is enough to bring me back. Everything else is a bonus!!”
The truth is, the vendors are the life of the party!
You can also take advantage of low-cost vaccinations and microchipping for dogs while you’re there through Pathways for Paws, making it a day of memorable fun and one-stop shopping. Which reminds us, if you’re going to bring Fido, please ensure they are in good health, vaccinated, and able to handle crowds, noise, and other doggos for everyone’s health and safety. And remember, they must be short leashed, at the very least, if not harnessed.
While Dogtoberfest is a free event where Tucsonans can meet new friends and greet old ones, we ask that visitors please bring dog/cat food or other supplies to help fill donation boxes for pet-related charities that distribute them to animal rescue groups, individuals, and others in need.
We’d like to thank all of our sponsors and volunteers in advance for making these adoption events possible. It’s quite an undertaking, and we couldn’t do it without you.
For more information, contact heather@thetucsondog.com or visit: Join Us for Dogtoberfest Event in Tucson!
