Sherri Beard has been participating in the Bowling Green-Warren County Humane Society’s 5K Fundraising Walk for at least seven years.

“I do love it. It’s a lot of fun,” said the Bowling Green woman, who is an administrative assistant and technician at the the Hotaling Spay/Neuter Clinic. “I started as a volunteer, then went into fostering.”

This year’s walk will be Saturday at the Bowling Green-Warren County Regional Airport, 1000 Woodhurst St.

Registration starts at 8:30 a.m., followed by the walk at 10 a.m. The event will happen rain or shine. There will be dog toys and treats for sale, and humane society winter apparel will be half-priced. There will be food and music.

The top five fundraisers will get grand prizes, including a Doggie Day Out package, Bowling Green Hot Rods package and tickets to Brian Wilson’s Aug. 16 performance of “Pet Sounds” at the Southern Kentucky Performing Arts Center.

“The objective is for walkers to get their friends and families to sponsor them. We encourage them to walk their own dog, but they can walk a shelter dog. They run out fast. It’s a great problem to have,” humane society Executive Director Lorri Hare said. “If they want to walk a shelter dog they have to come (to the Hildreth Adoption Center at 1925 Old Louisville Road) first. That way, they can spend time with the dog. We want to get them with a dog that will be a companion for them.”

There are usually 40 to 50 dogs that get to go to the walk, and some of them get adopted, Hare said.

“We’re hopeful of that. We want to showcase all the ones available for adoption,” she said. “We want the owners to have fun with their animals. We want to raise money for the animals here.”

Last year, the event raised $17,000, Hare said.

“It was low because bad weather was forecast,” she said. “We usually raise $20,000.”

Events such as the walk are important because the adoption center is run solely on donations, Hare said.

“We rely on our sponsors and our community,” she said. “We couldn’t save lives without our wonderful sponsors.”

Hare encourages people to spay/neuter their pets.

“Spay/neuter saves lives,” she said.

Beard believes the walk is a good way to socialize the dogs and meet other dog owners.

“They have great advice. It gets you out of the house,” she said. “It gives you a sense of community.”

It also provides a teachable moment for kids.

“It teaches kids the responsibility of having a dog,” she said. “It teaches them they have to gently approach and ask the owner of they can touch.”

— Follow features reporter Alyssa Harvey on Twitter @bgdnfeatures or visit bgdailynews.com.