Column: Gratitude for ‘Price is Right’ game show advice, helping to decrease numbers at pet shelters
After winning hearts at last week’s Wiggle Waggle Walk and Run, Sweet Pea is still looking to find a home to call her own. This 5-month-old pup may still be growing her fur back after treatment for a skin condition, but you’d never know it from her happy, joyful spirit. She’s thriving in a foster home, playing with kids, making dog friends, and showing off how smart and sweet she is. Ready to fall in love? Adopt Sweet Pea during our Price Is Right promo, April 27–May 1. pasadenahumane.org/adopt.
Last Sunday, more than 2,000 animal lovers and just as many pups joined us at our Wiggle Waggle Walk & Run at Brookside Park in Pasadena. I’m proud to share that we raised over $318,000 to support our critical programs and services that help thousands of animals each year.
Now in its 28th year, our largest annual fundraising event is a reminder of the power of community. It’s truly inspiring to see thousands of people who love and care about animals coming together for a day and a cause.
I found myself saying more than once, “Wow, look at all these people here to support the animals and our work.”
I’m incredibly grateful to each and every person who helped make this event a huge success for the animals.
This year brought some great surprises. Grammy Award-winning singer and producer John Legend kicked off the Walk with his dog, Petey. After a lap around the Rose Bowl, they made an appearance on the Kismet “green carpet” and handed out pup cups to eager canine attendees.
Artemis, a mastiff mix, took home the grand prize in our Doggie Costume Contest. She donned a homemade NASA rocket costume, while her owner wore an astronaut suit. It was a tough competition with dozens of participants and some truly creative costumes.
One of the more unexpected sights that morning was seeing The Price Is Right wheel set up in the middle of Brookside Park, along with the show’s announcer, George Gray. Hearing him call on contestants in our Doggie Costume Contest to “Come on down” took me right back to my childhood.
Like many people my age, I grew up watching The Price Is Right at home on sick days. It was one of the things I looked forward to most when I had to miss school.
What stuck with me, even as a kid, was how the show ended. Bob Barker would look into the camera and remind people to spay and neuter their pets. This simple slogan reached generations of people in a way few things do.
Spaying and neutering was not something you heard everywhere at the time, but over the years, messages like his helped make it part of everyday pet care. As a result, the number of animals entering shelters has decreased significantly over the past several decades.
This powerful message also stayed with me. It helped shape how I think about caring for animals, and, in many ways, started me on the path that brought me to where I am today.
And while Bob Barker is no longer with us, his legacy continues. Pet Adoption Week on The Price Is Right will air this coming week, featuring pets from Pasadena Humane. Tune in to see not just adoptable dogs, but a cat and even a rabbit.
Back at the shelter, we’re celebrating with our own Price Is Right-inspired adoption promotion to coincide with the airing of the shows. From April 27 to May 1, lucky adopters will have the chance to play Plinko to win a discounted — or even fee-waived — adoption.
It’s a fun way to bring that same sense of excitement to the adoption process and, hopefully, help more animals find their way home. And while the actual retail price might vary, the value of bringing a pet into your life is truly priceless.
All adoptions include age- and species-appropriate vaccines, a microchip, and, of course, all pets will be spayed and neutered.
I hope you’ll “Come on down” to Pasadena Humane and meet your new best friend. You can view adoptable animals and learn more at pasadenahumane.org/adopt.
Chris Ramon is president and CEO of Pasadena Humane.
This blog post originally appeared as a column in the Pasadena Star-News on April 24, 2026.
