Families and kids brought their furry friends to Roegner Park last Saturday for the inaugural Rover Romp, a 5K run/walk along the White River trail to benefit the Auburn Valley Humane Society.

Some 13 teams, 61 people in all, hoofed it with Fluffy and Rover.

In the weeks and months leading up to the race, the teams had already raised a little more than $7,000. By the time the romp was history, supporters had added $12,000 to the pot to furnish the shelter on A Street Southeast.

Donovan Brothers finished the remodeling of the future shelter two weeks ago and Veterinarians Don Edwards and Emily Purvis, founding members of AVHS, took advantage of the day to lead the first public tours of the presently empty building.

“The goal was 200 charter members, at $1,000 a piece, and AVHS has filled almost half the charter member spots without even a program off the ground, just a concept,” said Auburn City Councilman John Partridge.”Now with the building done and charted to open Jan. 1, they expect to see more excitement, which I think this showed.

“…The group has raised close to $100,000, and all this money is about the startup of the shelter, about furnishing the shelter, which is the computers, the desks, the cages, everything.”

The agreement with the City of Auburn was that the nonprofit AVHS would raise the dollars to furnish the building and the City would pay for the remodeling.

Several pet product vendors and local nonprofit rescue groups were on hand.

The shelter officially opens Jan. 1. It is expected to take in more than 2,000 animals each year. The romp allowed walk-ons and featured a raffle drawing.