An early deadline is coming up soon to register for an August bike ride that helps the animals held in the Columbus Animal Care Services Shelter.

Nicohl Birdwell-Goodin, manager of the city shelter, that the Moonlight Loop bicycle ride benefits the shelter’s adoption medical fund, which provides for vaccinations, spaying and other services to encourage adoptions.

“It is paid for by fines and fees and donations,” Birdwell-Goodin said. “…As we are working harder to get our save rate higher, the additional expenses of sending the animals to other shelters, or transports, we need additonal fees.”

The 19-mile ride will start at the library plaza on Aug. 20th at 9 p.m.

“Unlike some bike rides where you can start whenever you want, we want to keep everybody together because it is police-led — since it is darker, we want to keep safety first in mind,” she said. ” There is one stop up at the learning center. That is usally about 10 p.m. when that happens. Everybody stops and there are restroom facliities and snacks and such. Then it winds back to the plaza.”

The first deadline to buy a ticket at a reduced price is Sunday. Tickets are $25 until then, and go up to $30 Monday until the day before the event. Tickets on site will be $35. You can get more information by calling Columbus Animal Care Services at 812-376-2505.