ProVet X SPCA (HK) Dogathon 2023
A Sunshine Walk to Celebrate and Brighten Lives of Animals In Need
(Hong Kong, 27 March 2023) The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Hong Kong) (“the SPCA,” “the Society”) hosted the ProVet X SPCA Dogathon 2023 on 26 March 2023, Sunday, at the Art Park, West Kowloon Cultural District. Over 800 participants and 500 dogs joined the return of the in-person Dogathon, the Society’s flagship charity fundraiser, since 2020.
Themed “Sunshine Walk,” this year’s event kicked off with a one-kilometre-long charity walk around West Kowloon Cultural District to celebrate our furry friends for bringing sunshine into their humans’ lives and raising funds for animals in need. Apart from the SPCA representatives and the event sponsors, the SPCA (HK) Ambassador and singer Eric Kwok, actress Helen Tam, and artist Inez Leong also attended the kick-off ceremony, during which they shared the background story of Tong Jai, the event ambassador, and encouraged the participants to help brighten the lives of animals in need.
To celebrate the successful return of the in-person Dogathon at a new location, the morning charity walk was followed by a carnival with a wealth of fun activities for both humans and dogs. These include the PET x Handicraft Marketplace and the SPCA Charity Sales for those who wanted to go on a shopping spree; the Sunshine photo zones and the Woof and Bricks Art Walk for more photo opportunities; action-packed agility games for dogs; eye-opening fire dog demonstration and informative dog behavioural training demonstration.
“The support from sponsors and participants is very important to the SPCA. Despite the challenging operational environment, we did not slow down our work in bettering the lives of our animals,” said Gigi Fu, President of the SPCA (HK), at the kick-off ceremony.
“In 2021-2022 alone, the SPCA rescued over 4,600 animals and rehomed more than 1,300. Over 4,000 cats and dogs were desexed via our Cat Colony Care and Community Dog Programme. Separately, our work in education reached over 13,600 people. Without your support, we could not have continued the good work and achieved such remarkable results.”
The SPCA is a non-profit organisation and 99% of its funding comes from the generosity of the general public in addition to income generated by its veterinary services and membership programme. Under the impact of the pandemic, coupled with various challenges such as a shortage of veterinary staff and the migration wave, the SPCA has been facing a tremendous challenge as the operational environment becomes increasingly difficult. All funds raised from Sunday’s event will support the medical and daily expenses of animals currently staying at the SPCA, some of which were also present at the event to showcase the love they have to offer.
At present, more than 100 dogs including 70 puppies are lining up to find their forever homes at the SPCA. These include 68 dog currently at the Centres and 33 with foster families. The unprecedented challenges Hong Kong faces have not only affected the Society’s income but also the public interest in animal adoption, particularly mongrels. As animal shelters across the city, including the SPCA, are reaching their full capacity, fewer and fewer dogs in need are able to receive the required help. To offer more animals a second chance in life, please visit the SPCA’s Hong Kong, Kowloon and Sai Kung Adopt-a-Pet Centres.
Download event high-resolution photos:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/1bbo6sjg7qeaue4/AAAJ0MCx4d1p4MR1P6DCRdKfa?dl=0
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