Ricky, a 2-year-old chihuahua mix from New Hope Rescue, according to his owner Alaina Martin, enjoys the findings from his hunt.
DeWitt – Dogs from nearby towns spent their rainy Saturday morning scavenging in an Easter egg hunt.
Soldan’s Pet Supplies hosted an event April 1 for dogs to come out and scavenge for eggs. These eggs contained treats and prizes for the pups to enjoy, as well as one Golden Ticket that participants could redeem for a gift basket of toys and treats, according to Soldan’s Facebook page.
Dogs were invited to come in their best Easter attire: bunny ears, duckling bandanas and pastel raincoats were seen across the lawn of the pet store. Plastic eggs were scattered over the lawn for dogs to sniff out.
Blu, a 4-year-old golden retriever, patiently waits for her time to hunt.
The day consisted of two egg hunts. Each session was divided into two groups. Group one went first, which was dogs 40 pounds and under. Group two dogs were larger..
Sessions started at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Each group got 15 minutes to find all the eggs they could.
Finn, a black labrador retriever. Finn is a former future leader dog at Michigan State University, but retired due to elbow dysplasia, according to his owner Natalie Prichard.
Soldan’s Pet Supplies holds this event annually, and had a turnout of more than 100 dogs despite the muddy field and rainy conditions.
Henry, a 3-year-old miniature dachshund participated in the 1 p.m. session in group 1.
The DeWitt Soldan’s Pet Supplies location is the only host for the southern store locations. Soldan’s has eight total locations, and DeWitt hosts the hunt for Charlotte, Okemos, South Lansing and West Lansing locations. Each year they bring in a great turnout, with the exception of 2020 due to COVID, according to Kelsey Stevenson, an employee at Soldans.
Buddy, a 1-year-old miniature goldendoodle before his hunt.
As well as hosting the egg hunt, Soldan’s also hosted Happy Feet Pet Rescue, an adoption agency that showcased animals available for adoption. Happy Feet Pet Rescue is a nonprofit that offers a fostering and adoption program, according to its website.
Maisy, a 9-month-old toy poodle waiting for group one. Maisy is also a good friend of Buddy’s.
Dogs and owners received an Easter basket upon check-in for them to store their goodies. Check-in had a “$10 suggested registration fee,” and all of the earnings were donated to Happy Feet Pet Rescue, according to Soldan’s Pet Supplies Facebook page.
Willow, a cattle dog-husky-chihuahua-cocker spaniel mix. Willow was rescued by her owner, Kelsey Earle, from a rescue in Northern Michigan but is originally from Texas.
All dogs were required to be leashed throughout the event, allowing owners to wander the field with their pets.
Hazel, a 7-year-old German shepherd was rescued at 4-months-old from a breeder in Alabama, according to owner Nicole Bragan.
Dogs are now able to participate in an Easter celebration typically done by humans.
Soldan’s DeWitt location, 12286 Old U.S. 27, DeWitt, MI 48820, hosts the event every year for pets in DeWitt and neighboring towns.