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Celebrating all things canine at the Dog Days of Summer in Cardiff, California. © Cardiff 101 Main Street
If you’ve been to a Main Street recently, there is a good chance that you saw a dog — out for a walk, playing in the park, or curled up near a café table. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, 44.6% of US households own a dog, and many of them are bringing their canine companion downtown. From design and infrastructure to promotions and partnerships, there are lots of ways we can make our Main Streets more inviting for dogs and dog owners. Here are six examples from seven Main Streets who welcome and celebrate their local furry friends.
Cardiff 101 Main Street (Cardiff, California)
Cardiff goes all out celebrating their four-legged friends with their Dog Days of Summer event. The annual event features a variety of dog-related vendors, rescue groups, pet adoption agencies, an agility course, dog contests, live music, food trucks, and more. People who arrive without a canine companion can head to Rescue Row, where they will find adoptable dogs from local rescue groups, as well as microchipping and health services from the San Diego Humane Society.
The event attracts around 7,000 attendees each year, making it the largest outdoor dog festival in Southern California. More than 70% of Cardiff businesses and residents participate in the event as vendors, sponsors, opportunity drawing supporters, volunteers, or attendees — impressive outcomes for the community of 12,000 residents.
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A Starkville pup hits the “campaign trail.” © Starkville Main Street
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Pet Mayor Buster Camp and Starkville Main Street present a donation to the humane society. © Starkville Main Street
Starkville Main Street (Starkville, Mississippi)
Starkville invites their pets to participate in building a better downtown with their Pet Mayor program. This program helps build excitement while also providing an important source of funding for the Main Street organization. To select a Pet Mayor, pet owners nominate their cats or dogs to run for election. Nominated pets hit the ‘campaign trail’ and gather donations to earn their votes. The winning Pet Mayor serves as a downtown ambassador for two years — Starkville’s first Pet Mayor is Buster Camp, a long-beloved character in Starkville’s Cotton District.
“The project required minimal effort, but generated outstanding revenue,” said Paige Watson, Main Street Director at Starkville Main Street. In 2023, it generated $14,000 in just three weeks! These funds go towards maintenance and outdoor design projects, as well as a donation to the local humane society.”
Dogs love shopping locally in Warrensburg, Missouri. © Warrensburg Main Street
Warrensburg Main Street (Warrensburg, Missouri)
The phrase “man’s best friend” was first said in Warrensburg, Missouri, and Warrensburg Main Street is committed to making that a reality. Their downtown is full of dog-friendly design, including door clings identifying dog-friendly businesses, branded water bowls, and doggie bag stations. Their Design committee also has a dog-friendly downtown workplan. “Having an active workplan for this allows us to stay alert on logistics of having a dog-friendly downtown and keeps us budgeting for the next best thing,” said Jamie DeBacker, Executive Director at Warrensburg Main Street.
Warrensburg also uses special promotions to welcome and celebrate their four-legged friends. At their farmer’s market, they host two annual Dog Days where they invite a dog bakery, pet groomer, and animal shelter, as well as highlighting dog-themed items from vendors and offering a photo area and free dog toys made from recycled bags. They also host a patriotic Bike and Pet Parade where pet owners dress up their pets for the 4th of July.
Spectators cheer for a competitor in the K‑9 Keg Pull runs across the snow. © Deadwood History
Deadwood Main Street Initiative (Deadwood, South Dakota)
For the past seven years, the K‑9 Keg Pull has drawn crowds and canines to Deadwood’s Main Street for an unforgettable event. This unique race — envisioned by Sarah Kryger, Deadwood Chamber Events Coordinator, and Bobby Rock, Deadwood Outlaw Square Manager — capitalizes on the excitement from the nearby annual snocross race to bring excitement and energy to downtown Deadwood. The event boasts high attendance, with an estimated 200 to 400 spectators braving every kind of winter weather to cheer on the canine racers as they drag empty kegs and smaller containers across a snowy track. Deadwood Main Street businesses join in the festivities by making their establishments pup-friendly, offering water and treats to the four-legged participants.
The event serves as a fundraiser for the Deadwood Main Street Initiative and Twin City Animal Shelter. With affordable registration of just $15 per racer, the event raises around $800 annually. Six weight classes ensure that every dog, from the tiniest terrier to the mightiest mastiff, has a chance to shine. Each year, around 40 to 70 enthusiastic canines of all sizes compete.
Downtown Franklin Association provides resources to help local businesses welcome pets. © Kris Rae
Downtown Franklin Association (Franklin, Tennessee)
In 2017, Downtown Franklin Association launched their “Pets Welcome” business program in partnership with Better Cities for Pets. The program encourages downtown business owners to offer pet-friendly options. All businesses participating in the “Pets Welcome” business pilot received a toolkit of information and materials to make their businesses more welcoming to pets and pet parents. They also received a code of conduct for how pets should behave in stores, pet behavior management tips, and more. The pilot was a success, and Downtown Franklin Association continues to use these strategies to foster a pet-friendly downtown. As a result of this program, pet owners feel more comfortable bringing their furry friends downtown and business owners have the tools and knowledge to welcome pets in a way that is safe and comfortable.
Better Cities for Pets is a program from Mars Petcare that aims to create places for dogs and cats to live, visit, and play. Franklin was the first community to work with this program, and their success has inspired other cities to join, including Laguna Niguel, California, and St. Petersburg, Florida.
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A member of the Macon Hype Hounds sits for a photo. © NewTown Macon
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An Emporia Hype Hound poses with their owner. © Emporia Main Street
NewTown Macon (Macon, Georgia) and Emporia Main Street (Emporia, Kansas)
NewTown Macon created the Hype Hounds program, which invited local dogs to become downtown ambassadors who help promote Macon as a dog-friendly destination. Dogs (and their owners) visit dog-friendly businesses, restaurants, and bars, and pose to take photos for social media while wearing their Hype Hound bandanas.
“This initiative brings together dog lovers and their adorable pups to showcase the multitude of dog-friendly businesses, restaurants, and bars that add to the magic of Downtown Macon,” said Hailie Poppell Director of Marketing at NewTown Macon. This program also drives engagement on NewTown Macon’s social media channels. They have seen a 7% increase in the use of #downtownmacon since the program started.
Inspired by NewTown Macon’s session at the 2023 Main Street Now Conference, Emporia Main Street has developed their own Hype Hounds program. “We contacted Macon after the conference, talked through Hype Team specifics, and then implemented the Hype Team (human ambassadors) and Hype Hounds,” said Emporia Main Street Executive Director Casey Woods.
Beyond the Hype Hounds, Emporia Main Street has implemented water stations for dogs, utilized their Fabrication Lab to generate sponsored dog waste bag boxes downtown, and created a “pet-friendly” window cling for local businesses that welcome furry friends.
Welcoming pets is a great way to bring people downtown. From exciting events to business and design practices, these Main Streets provide strong examples of the strategies you can use to create a pet-friendly community in your district.
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