That’s a Wrap: World’s Largest Pet Walk 2025

Every September, Pet Partners invites people around the world to celebrate the healing power of the human-animal bond through the World’s Largest Pet Walk, presented by Wellness Pet Company. This year’s Walk brought together thousands of animal lovers across 44 U.S. states and 9 countries, all walking in support of therapy animal teams that bring comfort and joy to those who need it most. 

Stepping Up for a Shared Mission 

In its eighth year, the World’s Largest Pet Walk raised more than $100,000 to support the Pet Partners mission of improving human health and well-being through the human-animal bond. Participants created teams with family, friends, co-workers, and fellow animal lovers, walking everywhere from city parks to neighborhood trails. 

Here are the stats:

• Registered Total Walkers: 1,000+ 
• Registered New Walkers: 338 
• Registered Total Walking Teams: 110 
• Registered New Teams: 83 
• Community Partners Participating: 27 
• Corporate Teams Participating: 11 
• U.S. States Represented: 44 
• Additional Countries with Walkers: 8, not including the USA 
• Walkers who raised $249-$999: 28 
• Walkers who raised $1,000+: 11 
• Amount raised: more than $100,000 

Check out our leaderboard to see information about our top walkers and top teams this year! 

Powered by Partnership 

The success of the World’s Largest Pet Walk would not be possible without the support of our generous partners and sponsors.  

• Presenting Sponsor: Wellness Pet Company, whose ongoing commitment to the health and happiness of pets everywhere mirrors the Pet Partners mission. 

• Platinum Sponsor: Lazy Dog Restaurants, a longtime advocate for pets and their people. Lazy Dog Restaurants proudly supports the mission of Pet Partners. Through their partnership, they continue to help communities celebrate the joy animals bring into our lives. 

• Gold Sponsors: Blue Shield of California and Pet Genie, two organizations that have shown exceptional dedication to wellness, compassion, and community. Their support helps ensure that more therapy animal teams can bring comfort and connection to people of all ages, in all walks of life. 

Leading the Way: Our Walk Champion 

This year’s National Walk Champion was Trish Smith, who embodies the spirit of giving back. After retiring from a 44-year career in insurance, Trish sought a meaningful way to serve others and found Pet Partners. With training and support, she and Rosie became a registered therapy animal team in 2022, volunteering with Pet Partners of Greater Cincinnati and completing more than 300 visits to hospitals, hospices, and schools. As Trish shared with us, “While we walk to support our local efforts, we know the impact reaches far beyond our community.” Thank you, Trish, for your dedication to the Pet Partners mission! 

Sneaker Awards 

As we celebrate the success of this year’s Walk, there’s another milestone on the horizon: the Sneaker Awards, taking place on October 21! This annual recognition celebrates the creativity and spirit of Walk participants who go above and beyond—whether through innovative fundraising or community impact. 

Stay tuned for the announcement of this year’s winners and stories that will continue to inspire our community.  

Continue the Celebration 

We’re thrilled with the success of this year’s World’s Largest Pet Walk, but we’re not done yet: fundraising continues through the end of 2025! Together, we’ve raised more than $100,000 and we’re still aiming higher to support more therapy animals across the country.  

Visit https://petpartners.org/events-fundraisers/wlpw/ to donate today and help us reach your goal. Many workplaces offer matching gift programs—check with your employer to see if they will match your donation and easily double your impact. You can also give through cryptocurrency, stocks, or donor advised-funds. 

From dogs and cats to equines, guinea pigs, birds, and more, pets of all kinds sported their World’s Largest Pet Walk bandannas alongside their human companions this year. Search #WorldsLargestPetWalk on social media to see the joy and connection shared by participants around the country and the globe. 

Thank You! 

To each and every volunteer, sponsor, and participant: we thank you for walking with us! Your dedication fuels our mission and helps ensure that therapy animal teams can continue changing lives, one visit at a time. 

We cannot wait to walk with you again in 2026! Mark your calendars now for September 26, 2026, and look out for our registration emails going out next spring. We hope to see you on September 26 for Walk Day 2026!