If you drove along Route 7 on Saturday, you may have seen a parade of dogs and their owners decked out in colorful tie-dye T-shirts. This was Middlebury’s Woofstock: Walk for the Animals, an annual fundraising event for Homeward Bound: Addison County’s Humane Society.
Founded in 1976, Homeward Bound serves over 1,200 animals annually, including cats, dogs, rabbits and more. According to its website, its mission is “to be a community-centered shelter that supports the human-animal bond through compassionate care, adoption, education, and advocacy.”
The shelter also offers affordable spay and neuter services, along with free basic medical care for companion animals in emergencies when owners are unable to provide care. These services are made possible, in part, through fundraising efforts like Woofstock.
Since its inaugural dog-walking event in 1998, Middlebury’s Woofstock walk has drawn nearly 150 participants and around 100 dogs each year. This year, approximately 86 dogs attended, and the event surpassed Homeward Bound’s goal of raising $40,000 with over $47,875 raised as of Wednesday morning.
The steady-paced walk was one mile long. Dogs and their owners began at the Memorial Sports Center and took a loop south along Route 7, then back around to the Middlebury Municipal Pool, where it ended with a splash: a pool party for the dogs with a lot of floats, which many participants said is the highlight of Woofstock.
Executive Director of Homeward Bound Krista Malaney had been looking forward to this event for a long time, as this is her first Woofstock in her role.
“I have always loved animals all my life, so this is really special,” Malaney said. “Woofstock is the real big fundraiser for Homeward Bound, and it not only is giving attention to the shelter and all of the work that we do there, but it is also a really great community event where people have opportunities to not only come out on a nice summer day with their animals, but also celebrate the joys of pet ownership and what it brings to people.”
Along with the walk and pool party, Woofstock provided music, food from A&W, and treats and bandanas for the dogs.
Hannah Manley, Homeward Bound’s Director of Development, was pleased with the turnout and grateful for all the support from the Addison County community and beyond, as well as the opportunity to reunite with many of the adopted dogs.
“The dogs that are here are a hodgepodge of dogs locally from the area, and some that were adopted from Homeward Bound,” Manley said. “It definitely is a bit of a reunion for those who did adopt from us, so it's fun for staff members to see familiar faces.”
Matt Longman, Dean of the Sophomore Experience and a board member of Homeward Bound, attended the event with his dog Kylo, who he often takes on walks around Middlebury’s campus.
“We look forward to this every year,” Longman said. “It is so important to raise awareness for shelters like Homeward Bound for all the work they do not only for animals but for humans too. It brings the community together, which is why we love it.”
Students and the public can find various opportunities to volunteer with the animals at the shelter by visiting their location on Boardman Street or the Homeward Bound Website. Homeward Bound is open to the public Tuesdays–Saturdays from 9 p.m.–3 p.m. and students are encouraged to show up.
Mandy Berghela '26 (she/her) is a Senior Local Editor.
Mandy previously served as a local editor and staff writer. She is a Political Science major with a History minor. Mandy serves as co-president for Southeast Asian Society (SEAS), a member on the Judicial Board, and an intern for the Conflict Transformation Collaborative. In her free time, she enjoys cycling and reading fantasy novels.
