LAKEVIEW — Look out for puppies and a giant, furry bunny on Southport Avenue this weekend.
Saturday is the fifth annual "Hop Around the Shops" event, run by Dog-A-Holics owner Candace Canty, and as many as 50 adoptable dogs from local shelters will be hanging out in local businesses on the street from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., she said.
"It's a lot of dogs," Canty said. "The people who are looking to adopt need to come out."
The event started when Canty, a long-time avid supporter and board member of Chicago Canine Rescue, was looking for a way to raise awareness for the shelter. And as a local business owner, it made sense to bring people to the stores, too.
This is the first year two other rescues, Project Rescue Chicago and South Suburban Humane Society, and their volunteers will be handling dogs for the event. Dog-A-Holics' daycare at 3608 N. Southport Ave. will post fliers of all the dogs available so future dog owners can choose which pups to see.
But an Easter theme means shops will be doing more than showing off pets to adopt — they'll be hiding eggs with candy and discounts, and D'Agostino's Pizza and Pub will even have an Easter bunny.
Some shops will be donating 10 percent of proceeds to the animal shelters.
"There's an event for everybody," she said. "You don’t have to be in a market for a dog,"
For those in the market for a dog, see photos in the slideshow above, and for more, visit the Dog-A-Holics' Facebook page.
