Everyone’s favorite pet event will take place on Saturday, June 3rd, 2023! Join us for the 17th annual The Fast & The Furriest® event that will feature a 10K & 5K race, dog walk and pet festival! The pet festival will include 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.
How Can You Be Involved This Year?
- Participate in the 5K, 10K in person or virtually
- Participate in the dog walk in person or virtually
- Attend the in person Pet Festival on Saturday, June 3rd at Brown Square Park
- Enter your pet into the pet contests
- Bring your dog to the vaccination clinic which includes rabies and DAPP vaccines and microchipping. This is first come, first serve.
- Create a fundraiser when registering for the event and help raise money for pets in need in your community! Ask your friends and family to support a cause you are passionate and contribute to your fundraiser.
REGISTER HERE >>
Event Details
The event is located at Brown Square Park which is located right across the street from Rochester Animal Services, 184 Verona Street, Rochester NY 14608. There is free parking (although donations are appreciated) in the Kodak / Carestream 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 and along the Race Routes. Be sure to review the road closures and if necessary, the alternate routes into the parking area.
Event Timeline
- 7:00 am — Race Registration for 5K, 10K & Dog Walk Opens
- 8:00 am — 10K Race Start on Verona Street
- 8:15 am — 5K Race Start on Verona Street
- 8:30 am — Pet Festival Begins- food trucks, vendors, pet activities, silent auction, music
- 9:00 am — Shelter opens, Vaccine and Microchip Clinic opens, Dog licensing opens
- 9:30 am — 10K and 5K Race Awards Ceremony
- 10:45 am — Dog Walk Registration closes
- 11:00 am — Dog Walk begins in park
- 12:00 pm — Pet contests at stage, Vaccine and Microchip Clinic Closes
- 1:00 pm — RAS alumni group photo at stage with FREE bandanna
- 1:30 pm — Silent Auction ends
- 2:00 pm — Event ends
Race Information
Join us for either the 5K or 10K distance through the picturesque City of Rochester! Both courses are certified to be accurate by USATF. The 10K begins at 8:00 a.m. and the 5K shortly after at 8:15 a.m. The dog walk is a crowd favorite and a one mile stroll through downtown Rochester near the shelter.
Course Routes
Packet pick up will take place on Friday, June 2nd at Fleet Feet the Armory location (155 Culver Rd) from 10am – 6pm and Saturday, June 3rd at the event from 7am – 10:45am (184 Verona St.)
Participants in the 5K & 10K receive a t-shirt, bib, timed race, post race food, and pet festival to enjoy! Participants in the dog walk receive a t-shirt and pet festival to enjoy. Those that register prior to May 15th will be guaranteed a t-shirt. Participants that register after May 15th are not guaranteed a shirt and may receive a shirt contingent upon availability at the time of packet pick up.
Can’t make it in person? Virtual options available for the 5K, 10K and dog walk! Participants will be mailed their items post event.
Refund policy: This race and walk does not offer any refunds for participants that register and do not run or walk in the event.XX
REGISTER HERE >>
Race Awards
For the 10K: Overall top three male and female will receive a store voucher to Fleet Feet. Overall Masters male and female will receive a store voucher to Fleet Feet. Additional store vouchers to Fleet Feet will be given to 1st – 3rd in each age group.
For the 5K: The overall male and female will receive a store voucher to Fleet Feet. Overall Masters male and female will receive a store voucher to Fleet Feet. Additional store vouchers to Fleet Feet will be given to 1st – 3rd in each age group.
Age groups: 19 and under, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70+
REGISTER HERE >>
Fundraising
Why Is Your Paw-ticipation So Important?
By supporting Verona Street Animal Society and Rochester Animal Services, you are helping animals get the second chance they deserve. Just your registration for this event will spay/neuter a male cat or feed a cat for one month. Think of the impact an additional donation would have! All funds raised through The Fast & The Furriest® event directly impact 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 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! For more information on how to set up your fundraiser and tips and tricks to reach your goal visit here!
Start Fundraising/Donate >>
Volunteer Opportunities
Everyday volunteers make a world of difference for Rochester Animal Services. We need a lot of help to make this event a fun and successful time for everyone involved. We need everything from parking attendants to race marshals.
Please sign up to choose your hours and volunteer activities for this year’s event. If you have questions regarding volunteering, please contact Maggie at
maggie@vsas.org.
Volunteer Sign UP >>
Corporate Sponsorhip and Vendor Opportunities
By sponsoring The Fast & The Furriest®, your business can heighten its corporate image, show community support, and increase brand awareness while reaching concerned and committed participants from the Greater Rochester area. Your support sends a message that your company is a recognized partner in this important community effort that reaches a broad demographic of pet owners who are concerned with the welfare of animals in their community.
Click here to view our available sponsorship packages: 2023 Sponsorship Packet. If you have questions, please contact
mary@vsas.org Note: Print deadline for graphics is March 30th, 2023 so any sponsorship additions after that will not be in printed materials.
Still have questions about the event?
Contact us at info@vsas.org