{CityDog Seattle} Looking to get outdoors for an adventure with your furry friend – and support a cause that will change lives? This year’s virtual Furry 5K is a fun way to change up your usual routine and make a positive difference in the Seattle community.
Now in its 22nd year, the annual Furry 5K is organized and hosted by the Seattle Animal Shelter Foundation (SASF), an all-volunteer, nonprofit organization that has funded, championed, and supported the Seattle Animal Shelter’s programs for more than ten years. From veterinary care and adoption programs, to foster homes and animal neglect investigations, SASF aims to save animals and strengthen our community.
Funds raised from the Furry 5K are contributed to the Seattle Animal Shelter’s Help the Animals Fund, which was established in 1977 to provide lifesaving veterinary services for sick, injured, and abused animals at the shelter, in addition to spay and neuter surgeries. As the shelter’s veterinary needs grew, volunteers started the Furry 5K event in 1999 to raise money for the fund and to raise awareness about responsible pet ownership. In 2020, the Help the Animals Fund covered $51,000 in veterinary care, including an amputation for a dog hit by a car and treatment for a cat with complications from diabetes. Both of these animals went on to be adopted into loving homes. Powered by pet licenses, volunteers, and charitable donations, the Seattle Animal Shelter saves thousands of dogs, cats, and critters every year from homelessness, neglect, and abuse.
How can you help Seattle’s animals in need? Run, walk, roll, hop, skip, or jump for a great cause during the Furry 5K June 13 – 20, 2021.
There is no set location or specific time/date for the virtual Furry 5K, so you can participate that week with your family and friends from across the country. The 5K can be completed all at one time or across multiple days.
For a $35 registration fee, participants will receive a Furry 5K t-shirt and a goodie bag full of fun stuff. Once you’re registered, all that’s left to do is… Tell your friends. Create a team. Ask for donations. Grab a furry friend. Choose a route. Pick a date. And go have some fun!
Not able to participate during the event week? You can still help by donating to support the Seattle Animal Shelter Foundation. Your generosity is the key to healthier and happier animals and a stronger community.
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About the Author
Brandie Ahlgren is founder and editor of CityDog Magazine. She, and her team of dog-loving editors, dig up the best places for you to sit, stay and play with your four-legged friends. Brandie, 12-year-old boxer Thya and Mexican foster failure Pancho, reside in West Seattle and can often be found hanging out at Westcrest Dog Park.
