CARACAS (Reuters) – Over 150 dogs, adorned with colorful scarves, joined their owners in a race through Venezuela’s capital, Caracas, on Sunday. The event was organized to raise support for animal shelters across the country.
Participants, both runners and their furry companions, covered a distance of four kilometers (2.49 miles) in the second edition of the ‘Dog Running’ race, held in eastern Caracas.
Due to Venezuela’s prolonged economic collapse, many people have been forced to surrender their pets to shelters or abandon them on the streets. With an annual inflation rate of approximately 400%, household incomes have been severely impacted, making it increasingly difficult for pet owners to meet the basic needs of their animals.
“Each edition of the race helps to support shelters that rescue animals from precarious situations on the streets,” explained Andreina Nedjme, organizer of the event.
All participants in the race paid a fee of $30 to run alongside their pets. The aim of this fee is to provide these animals with a good quality of life during the waiting period for them to be adopted into loving families, Nedjme added.
Runners, who were interviewed on the sidelines of the race, expressed their joy in being able to compete with their pets. They emphasized the importance of encouraging such activities in the city.
(Reporting by Efrain Otero and Johnny Carvajal; Writing by Valentine Hilaire; Editing by Andrea Ricci)
Credit: The Star : News Feed
