Hound Dog Hike set for Sunday

IRONWOOD — The 10th annual Hound Dog Hike will be held at the Miners Memorial Heritage Park in Ironwood on Sunday morning.

Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. and the hiking begins at 9 from the Iron King Dog Park, on the corner of Ayer Street and Bonnie Road. The dog park is located in the northeast corner of the MMHP. The event continues through noon.

Proceeds from the event will benefit the dog park, which is a collaboration of HOPE Animal Shelter, the Friends of the MMHP and the city of Ironwood.

“Walkers don’t have to start at 9. It’s meant to be a leisurely walk. We’re running the event through noon,” said HOPE director Randy Kirchhoff. “People can walk their dog, their neighbor’s dog, or just walk alone.”

There are three different routes planned along trails in the park for those walking their dogs on a leash — a 1.4-mile loop, 1.9-mile loop and a 2.9-mile loop.

Organizers are asking those who plan to bring their dog to the dog park that morning to keep their dog on a leash within the fenced area. It’s a change from the rest of the year, but for one morning, organizers are asking for the public’s cooperation.

Kirchhoff said the event will be good exercise for the animals, if not the animal owners as well. “It’ll be a fun time,” he said.

Kirchoff said the event was canceled last year due to COVID, so it’s a second run at the 10th annual.

Kirchhoff said the animal shelter remains busy. He said they have 46 kittens and cats — some in foster care while being spayed or neutered, as well as a dozen dogs.

For more information on the event, visit hopeanimalshelter.org.