It was surely a dog’s day out at the ‘Pet -A-Thon’, a walk by pets and pet owners to create awareness on animal cruelty. Organised by the Rotary Bangalore IT Corridor at PetStepin, the event was a run-up to the ‘Midnight Marathon’.
Many participants showed up with their dogs and had a blast. Various interesting sessions like treasure hunt for the dogs, photography session, a talk on grooming, adoption of stray dogs etc were held as part of the event.
Dinesh, a participant, said that it was good to see a number of events for pets. “With so many events planned for the pets as well as owners, it was bound to be an enjoyable event. I have had a lot of fun with my dog Eva. This is one of the few times that she has interacted with so many dogs. We also participated in events like treasure hunt. The best part is that we are also sensitising people on the issue of cruelty towards animals,” he says.
Whether it was the pedigree dogs or Indian breeds, all were interacting with each other even as their owners attended talks on grooming, food habits etc.
Some dogs were even dressed for the occasion, adding variety to the event. For instance, one of the participants had dressed her black pug in a shocking pink hat and a tie. Another labrador sported a bright dog pullover.
Nishanth, one of the organisers, explained that ‘Pet-A-Thon’ started in a small way and has grown into a huge event now with a large number of people taking part in it over the years. “Along with engaging the participants to come out with pets, we also encourage them to interact with the community. We also provide a platform for people to adopt Indian breeds. The Indian breeds adapt better to the climate and are low maintenance. We want people to adopt these breeds and spread the love,” he says.
It was indeed a special day for the pets as they not only had an outing but some special food as well. The treasure hunt had the participants battling it out along with their pets and it was the ultimate test of their coordination with their dogs.