TORONTO – Officials with the H&R Block office, 811 Franklin St., will welcome area residents and their dogs to Bark on the Block at noon Saturday.

For a minimum donation of $1 any dog in costume can enter the pet parade at the Block office. Prizes will be awarded in various categories, including best costume, and all dogs will receive a ribbon for participating. All dogs must be on a leash and be current on rabies vaccinations.

Cat lovers may participate in the event by entering their cat’s picture in the Kute Kitty Kontest. To enter, bring a picture of the cat with the cat’s name as well as the owner’s name, address and phone number on the back. Pictures will be displayed and attendees at the event may vote by giving a monetary donation of any size. Each penny donated to vote on a cat’s picture counts as one vote.

“As part of H&R Block’s commitment to the community, we recruit local nonprofits to sign up for our Nonprofit Referral Program. Each time the nonprofit sends us a new client, they earn $20 for their organization,” said Christina Arthurs, Toronto office manager. “We also participate in activities that support these organizations.

“This year, our office in Toronto has teamed up with SpayNeuterOhio, a (nonprofit) organization that hosts a local spay and neuter program here in Toronto,” Arthurs continued. “Bark on the Block is a fundraising event we are holding to raise money to support these clinics. All the money donated stays in Toronto to help local pets.”

Arthurs said usually tax deductions aren’t allowed for pets.

“Most of the time the answer is ‘no,’ but if people come to Bark on the Block, we can tell them how helping pets can lead to a tax deduction,” she said.

Arthurs said the Toronto office has recruited Northern Panhandle Head Start and Women In Action Against Cancer as nonprofit partners and plans to participate in events to support these nonprofit groups.

For information, call (740) 537-4757.