BELFAST — Volunteers waited near the ocean Saturday morning for participants of Belfast's inaugural P.A.W.S. on Parade Walk-A-Thon, held in Belfast City Park. While the parade is actually in its ninth year, it is the first time Belfast has been host to its own P.A.W.S. on Parade event.

Participants were offered a variety of ways to contribute to P.A.W.S. Animal Adoption Center, including via sweet tooth, thanks to a fully stocked bake sale table. There were T-shirts by photographer and graphic designer, Jane Kurko, as well as gourmet dog treats, for dogs with discerning tastes.

The picture perfect spring day served as a backdrop to the event, which functions as a fundraising event for the adoption agency, located in Camden.

The P.A.W.S. animal shelter services 10 Midcoast towns, including Camden, Rockport, Hope, Lincolnville, Belfast, Northport, Searsmont, Islesboro, and Swanville, according to Executive Director Shelly A. Butler.

Butler, who is new to the position, said that the decision to move to Maine and join P.A.W.S. was an easy one.

"I moved to Maine, well, because it's Maine," she laughed, "and [working with] P.A.W.S. is a beautiful opportunity."

As for the reason P.A.W.S. decided to bring the parade to Belfast, Butler said: "we want the Belfast community to be aware they can reach out to us as a resource for pet adoption or a place to bring a lost or relinquished cat or dog. For us, this event is an opportunity to get to know pet lovers from the Belfast-Northport area."

The event was a success, both for P.A.W.S. and the parade's participants, both of the two, and four-legged variety. Butler was quick to bring the conversation back to the day's focus, the animals, urging those looking for a furry new family member to adopt not buy.

"Every animal deserves a loving home," she said.

A number of local businesses in the area offered their support for the event, including lead sponsors, The First National Bank and IDEXX Laboratories of Westbrook.

Erica Thoms can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com