Hundreds of dogs and their owners descended on Rocky Point State Park on Oct. 18 for the Rhode Island SPCA's 24th annual Paws in the Park, a waterfront fundraiser that this year pulled in more than $60,000 to support animals in need. Between the costume parade, the food trucks and a contest involving a plate of Cheez Whiz, it was a chaotic, tail-wagging success for the organization's signature event.
The nonprofit called Paws in the Park its largest annual fundraiser, according to RINewsToday, and said the family-friendly dog walk draws hundreds of pet owners each year. As reported by Warwick Beacon, the day featured a scenic group dog walk along the waterfront, dozens of local vendors, food trucks, raffles and family-friendly activities, with pups and their people circling Rocky Point's walking path along Narragansett Bay.
Costumes, Cheez Whiz and a Potato-Dressed Champion
The event's crowd favorite was, as usual, the canine costume contest. More than 50 dogs competed this year, and the Beacon's report notes that first prize went to a dog dressed as a baked potato. Also on the agenda was the Clear the Plate contest, in which dogs raced to lick a plate of Cheez Whiz clean the fastest — a messy, crowd-pleasing staple of the fundraiser.
Vendors selling pet products, services and handmade goods rounded out the grounds, giving attendees plenty to browse between walks and watching the costume judging. The Rhode Island SPCA credited participants, sponsors, vendors, volunteers and supporters for what organizers described as record-breaking fundraising this year, per the same Beacon account.
Funding a Nonprofit That Gets No Government Support
The RISPCA has said the money raised at Paws in the Park helps it continue its lifesaving work. That mission runs on private support alone: the organization told RINewsToday that it does not receive any local, state or federal funding and is not affiliated with any national humane organization, relying instead on donations from individuals, businesses and foundations.
That funding model makes the October walk more than a feel-good afternoon by the bay — it is a financial backbone for the nonprofit's year-round operations. The RISPCA's own event materials describe Paws in the Park as something that attracts hundreds of pet owners and their dogs annually, a pattern that held true again at Rocky Point.
A Fundraiser With a Growing Track Record
This year's event marked the 24th running of Paws in the Park, which has shifted venues in recent years. The 23rd annual walk was held in September 2025 at Goddard State Park, according to Turn to 10, and included its own dog walk, children's activities, costume contest and raffles. The year before that, Wave Federal Credit Union sponsored the 22nd annual event at Goddard Memorial State Park in Warwick, which the Cooperative Credit Union Association said drew hundreds of enthusiastic pet owners and their dogs alongside walks, vendor booths, food trucks and raffles.
Fundraising totals for the event have varied from year to year, and reports on exactly how much prior walks raised are not entirely consistent. Whatever the comparison to past years, organizers and attendees alike treated this year's $60,000-plus haul at Rocky Point as a milestone for an event that has become a fixture of the Rhode Island fall calendar — one dog costume, vendor booth and Cheez Whiz plate at a time.
