Woofstock brings out dog lovers in Chico

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South Carolina transplant Briana Gilliam attends the Butte Humane Society's Woofstock event with Biscuit and the rescue dog's mom, Julie Ceccato, at Silver Dollar Fairgrounds on Saturday, March 30, 2024, in Chico, California. (Evan Tuchinsky/Enterprise-Record)

CHICO — Jen Olson and her two dogs dressed as Easter bunnies during the third annual Woofstock festival at the Silver Dollar Fairgrounds on Saturday.

“They mean everything to me,” Olson said. “I don’t want to have a day without my babies.”

Canine siblings Dink and Tidd have their own Instagram account, @dinkandtidd, run by their owner who loves them dearly.

  • Self-described "enthusiast" Jen Olson, dressed as the Easter Bunny, brings her dogs Dink and Tidd to Woofstock at Silver Dollar Fairgrounds on Saturday, March 30, 2024, in Chico, California. (Evan Tuchinsky/Enterprise-Record)

  • Katie Gonser, board member of the Butte Humane Society, discusses Woofstock as it gets underway at Silver Dollar Fairgrounds on Saturday, March 30, 2024, in Chico, California. (Evan Tuchinsky/Enterprise-Record)

  • Brandon Thomas and 1-year-old Abby attend the Butte Humane Society's Woofstock together for the first time Saturday, March 30, 2024, at Silver Dollar Fairgrounds in Chico, California. (Evan Tuchinsky/Enterprise-Record)

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Woofstock is a festival that raises money for the Butte Humane Society. The event featured live music, food, various  vendors and “The Play Yard” a beer, wine and spirit garden. Many of the activities took place in an enclosure, with vendors situated outside, though morning rain gave way to sunshine by the time attendees arrived.

The Butte Humane Society is a nonprofit animal shelter, operating since 1911, that provides aid to dogs and cats through various services. The group offers a pet food and supply pantry for those in need, training for animals with behavior issues, and spaying and neutering services, to name a few.

In addition to monetary donations, the best ways to support the Butte Humane Society are to volunteer, donate food and to spay and neuter your pets, said Katie Gonser, president of the Butte Humane Society board of directors.

However, due to veterinary shortages, Gonser said she acknowledges it isn’t so easy to spay and neuter pets right now. Though it may be difficult, Gonser said it is important, and if people were aware of how many animals are euthanized each year, they might care more. According to Shelter Animals Count, 690,000 shelter animals were euthanized in 2023 — 330,000 cats and 360,000 dogs.

Gonser said her job is to advocate for “animals that have no voice and no choice.”

Pets offer emotional support and become like family, and often those who work with animals prefer them over people, Gonser said.

“Besides my children, and mostly my man, I prefer animals,” Kelly Lesser, member of the Butte Humane Society board of directors, said with a laugh.

Above all, Gonser said, the goal of the Butte Humane Society is to find homes for animals that need them and to prevent animals from needing homes.

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