Costumed dogs trotted alongside their owners at Tempe Beach Park on Saturday as the Arizona Animal Welfare League held its 28th Annual Walk to Save Animals, marking the first time the fundraiser has landed directly on Halloween. The event ran from 8 a.m. to noon and mixed its usual mission of raising money for rescue work with trick-or-treat stations built for both people and pets.
The Halloween timing gave the long-running fundraiser a new twist this year, according to Downtown Tempe, which promoted the walk as a festive day of treats, costumes and fun for everyone. Organizers said that for the first time ever, the walk falls on Halloween, so they planned trick-or-treat stations for both human and furry participants. Money raised through the event goes toward AAWL's lifesaving programs, including adoptions, behavior support, rural rescue transport and low-cost veterinary care for underserved communities, per the same listing.
FOX 10 Phoenix reported that families and pets turned out despite rainy weather, with the walk serving as the shelter's largest annual fundraiser of the year. The station's report noted that participant Cera Gariepy attended dressed to match her dog, saying she simply finds dressing up fun.
A Tradition That Keeps Growing
This year's edition builds on a well-established event. AAWL hosted its 27th annual Walk to Save Animals at the same Tempe Beach Park location in 2025, according to ABC15, which reported that last year's gathering featured a number of adoptable pets alongside more than 50 resource providers. A prior edition, billed as the 26th annual Walk to Save Animals, was promoted by yourvalley.net as Arizona's most attended dog walk.
AAWL's Kimberly Root told the station that the funds raised support adoptions as well as resources the organization provides to the community. Root pointed specifically to the shelter's low-cost community vet clinic, where staff offer affordable wellness care and vaccines, as one of the programs that benefits from walk proceeds.
Pets Still Looking for Homes
Beyond the costumes and donations, the walk also doubled as an adoption event. FOX 10 Phoenix reported that a dog named Kiyoko was among the animals available for adoption, and that shelter staff said she may suit a family with elementary-aged children or older.
Fundraiser donations collected through the walk are directed toward life-saving rescue programs and animals in need across Arizona, according to the station's report. With the event's 28th year now in the books, organizers appear set to keep pairing the fundraiser's serious mission with the kind of costumed, crowd-pleasing atmosphere that has made it a Tempe fixture.
