The Fast & The Furriest®

Our Major Annual Fundraiser  

Last year was one of our biggest and most successful events ever and we hope to grow our event again this year. Join us on Saturday, June 6, 2020, for The Fast & The Furriest® Races, Dog Walk & Pet Fest. The 14th annual event will feature live music, food trucks, sponsor giveaways, vendors, pet contests, local pet organizations and a variety of activities for you, your family and your pets. Come out and help us celebrate our love of animals and our city. Come out and help us celebrate our love of animals and our city.

Special Features for 2020 

• Free Rabies & DAPP Vaccinations (dogs only)
• Free Microchip Clinic (dogs only)
• Camp ROC Star live performances
• On-site dog licensing for City residents ($10 altered, $30 unaltered)
• Discounted pet adoptions at Rochester Animal Services ($10 cats, $20 dogs)
• Food Trucks and Carts
• Dog Playgroup Demonstration
• Rescue Groups on site

The event is located at Rochester Animal Services, 184 Verona Street, Rochester NY 14608 and adjacent Brown Square Park. There is free parking (although donations are appreciated) in the Kodak / Carestream parking Lot D on the corner of Brown Street and Verona Street, with access from Oak Street.

Note: There will be road closures in the Brown Square Park Area as well as along the Race Routes. Be sure to review the road closures and if necessary, the alternate routes into the parking area.

2020 Event Schedule

7:00 a.m.        Race Registration
8:00 a.m.        10K Race Start on Plymouth Avenue
8:15 a.m.         5K Race Start on Brown Street and live music
8:30 a.m.       Dog Walk Registration opens, Face Painting, Bounce House, and Attendee
                         Dog Agility Course open
9:00 a.m.        Shelter opens, Vaccination and Microchip Clinic opens
9:30 a.m.        Attendee Dog Agility Course closes; Dog Playgroup demo begins
9:45 a.m.        10K and 5K Race Awards ceremony
10:30 a.m.      Dog walk registration closes; Dog Playgroup demo ends,
                         Travis Fitch and Camp Roc Star perform
11:00 a.m.       Dog Walk begins in park
12:30 a.m.       Pet contests at stage begin; Face Painting and Bounce House close
1:00 p.m.         Pet Contest Winners announced
1:15 p.m.           RAS alumni group photo at stage with FREE bandana
1:30 p.m.          Raffle drawing at stage and more music; Clinic closes
2:00 p.m.          Event ends 

On-Site Vendors & Sponsors

Food Trucks & Carts

• Monster Hots
• Roc City Sammich
• Stingray Sushi Fusion

Live music

Performances by Travis Fitch and his Camp ROC Star friends throughout event 

Fundraising

By supporting the Verona Street Animal Society, you are helping animals get the second chance they deserve. Any donation made directly impacts the animals in our community by:

• Providing food, shelter, enrichment and medical care at the shelter
• Promoting adoption, lost and found, and spay/neuter programs
• Supporting under-served communities by providing access to pet resources

All race and walk participants are encouraged to fundraise individually or as a team. A team can be composed of walkers, runners, non-participant fundraisers or any combination thereof.

Can’t make it to this year’s event, but want to help the shelter animals? You can still become an online fundraiser and be eligible to receive all of our great pledge-level prizes.

All fundraising individuals and teams are encouraged to fundraise online to simplify the process and reduce costs; however, you can also use our pledge form. Please help us help the shelter animals at Rochester Animal Services by forming a team today.

For more information on how to set up your fundraiser and tips and tricks to reach your goal visit here

NOTE:  Fundraising Prize Totals will be taken from ONLINE donations as of midnight on June 5, 2020.  Donations after that time will be accepted but not used toward determination of your prize.  Cash and checks made payable to Verona Street Animal Society should be delivered to the registration area on June 6 between 6:45 a.m. and 10 a.m. or mailed to:  Verona Street Animal Society, PO Box, Rochester, NY 14692.  Mail-in donations must be received no later than June 2 to be counted toward fundraising totals.

Race Information

Race participants will have two courses through the City of Rochester to choose from. Both courses are certified to be accurate by USA Track & Field (NY16118KL [10K] and NY16116KL [5K]). All race participants are required to sign a waiver and release of liability because the event is sanctioned by USA Track & Field (USATF). The USATF waiver and release will be completed during the registration process. If you wish to review the USATF waiver and release beforehand, you can download a copy.

Refund policy: This race and walk does not offer refunds for participants that register and do not participate in the event.

5K Race Map         10K Race Map

Race Registration Fees, Times and Awards

 We encourage all participants to fundraise for the shelter animals at Rochester Animal Services either individually or with a team.

10K Race 

• $25 if registered by April 30, 2020
• $30 if registered May 1 - June 5, 2020
• $35 day-of registration on June 6, 2020
• Start Time is 8:00 a.m.
• 10K Awards: Top 3 male and female finishers win $100, $75, $50 Fleet Feet Sports store vouchers; store vouchers for $15 – $40 are also awarded to top three (3) male and female finishers in each age group.

5K Race 

• $20 if registered by April 30, 2020
• $25 if registered May 1 - June 5, 2020
• $30 day-of registration on June 6, 2020
• Start Time is 8:15 a.m.
• 5K Awards: Top male and female finishers each receive a $50 store voucher; medals will be awarded to the top individual (1) male and female finishers in each age group.

Participants in the 5K and 10K that register by the end of April 30, 2020 will receive a tech shirt. Participants registered May 1 or later will receive a cotton shirt. To be guaranteed an event t-shirt you must be registered by Monday, May 25, 2020. Participants registered after that date are not guaranteed a shirt and may receive a shirt contingent upon availability at the time of packet pick-up.

Packet Pick Up:

Runners can pick up their race packets at Fleet Feet at The Armory, 155 Culver Road, on Friday, June 5 from 10:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. Event day packet pick up begins at 7:00 a.m. and goes till 8:10 a.m. in the Kodak D Parking Lot across the street from Brown Square Park.