Thousands of people and their pooches packed out Wharepai Domain on Saturday for the SPCA fun day.
The annual Tauranga SPCA Pet and Family Fun Day was a way for the animal shelter to do some much-needed fundraising and raise awareness for the organisation.
The day featured advice from SPCA staff on animals, pet products, police dog demonstrations, pets for adoption and more at about 20 stalls.
Tauranga SPCA event organiser Hannah Cobb said the day was the organisation's biggest awareness and money raiser each year.
Previous years between 3000 and 5000 people and dogs came for the fun and numbers this year looked on track, she said.
"It's a great day for people to bring their dogs down to socialise, and learn what dogs do in our community," she told the Bay of Plenty Times.
The shelter rescued more than 2000 animals each year in Tauranga.
Dow owner Angie Keating said the day was a way for her beloved pup, Coda, to get out for some fun.
The catahoula was about 6 months old and loved socialising with others, she said.
"I wanted him to come down and socialise with other dogs and have some fun. He loves people too and it's really good for them."
The Maungatapu resident said she had adopted the dog from a friend as a puppy.
"My daughter and I really wanted a dog. We have never had one. And we were finally living in the right place, it is all fenced and my friend offered us one of the puppies.
"We love him, we do everything together."
Judy and Colin Gray bought their rough-coated collie Sam to the doggy day out too.
"We like to support the SPCA and we love Sam to socialise with other pets and people."