Pit bulls will strut their stuff Saturday as “Pit Bulls on Parade” returns to Issaquah.

The event, sponsored by BullsEye Dog Rescue, is free to the public and will feature adoptable Pit Bulls from throughout the Puget Sound region. The event also raises money and awareness for the rescue and promotion of responsible ownership for pit bull type dogs.

“The proliferation of misinformation out there surrounding pit bulls has led to a lot of negative attention in recent years, and we created this event to show the community the positive side of Pit Bulls – the side those who know and love them see every day,” said Lorrie Kalmbach-Ehlers, president and co-founder of BullsEye Dog Rescue. “Pit Bulls on Parade is a fun event for all dog lovers – whether you’re a pit bull fan or are just curious to see what the breed is really about.”

One of the main attractions of the event includes demonstrations in dog sports such as agility, weight pull, rally obedience and disc dog, along with opportunities for the public to try many of these activities with their own dogs.

New this year, BullsEye Dog Rescue and Good Neighbor Vet (www.goodneighborvet.com) will be sponsoring a free microchip clinic for pit bulls. Microchipping provides permanent identification in the event a dog gets lost, and serves as a backup if the dog gets out without its tags.

Microchips are approximately the size of a grain of rice and implanted with a sterile needle into the scruff of the neck. The procedure takes just seconds and many dogs don’t even feel it.

For the fifth year in a row, BullsEye Dog Rescue is offering free Canine Good Citizen testing for pit bulls and pit mixes ($10 for other breeds). Canine Good Citizen (CGC) is a nationally recognized certification program that rewards dogs that have good manners in the home and in the community.

More information on the Canine Good Citizen, including testing requirements, is available online.

The event will be from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Riverdog Canine Coaching, 1400 19th Ave. N.W.