By Marissa Villegas
2021’s Furry 5K is a virtual event that runs from June 13-20th and whose proceeds benefit the Seattle Animal Shelter’s commitment to providing love, care and support for animals in the Greater Seattle area. By registering for this event you could be helping those pets too!
Here are four ways the Furry 5K helps pets in need:
1. The money fundraised through this and other events directly supports animals who experience distress and dysfunction. Earlier this year the Seattle Animal Shelter had a hand in rescuing hundreds of animals from a dire hoarding case in West Seattle. Without the aid of funds from events like the Furry 5K, they may not have the resources necessary to deal with such difficult cases.
2. Happy endings tend to come from rocky starts. That’s definitely the case for many of the beautiful adoptions that happen every day at the Seattle Animal Shelter. From Mimi, who found a loving home with adopters willing to put in the effort to work with her behavioral challenges, to Azul, who overcame a broken tail and a shy demeanor to find happiness with her owners—there are always success stories for cats and dogs just around the corner thanks to the donations made to SAS.
3. Wagging tails and purrs aren’t the only sign of happiness in adopters from the shelter. In fact, the proceeds of the Furry 5K also go towards helping critters in need. Ziggy, a sociable hedgehog who just wants to cuddle with his dog brothers, was adopted by one of SAS’s volunteers after she just fell in love. In addition, Sugar and Loki are two foster-failure rabbits who couldn’t help but win over the hearts of their adopter. These types of stories are fueled by the resources provided by funding through events like the Furry 5K.
4. Beyond the magic of adoptions, proceeds also benefit additional programs within the shelter. Many may not know, but the Seattle Animal Shelter has many tools that help behind the scene operations. For example, the Behavioral Training and Assessment Program helps pets who may initially have trouble being adopted learn how to fit in with new families. SAS also houses a full in-house veterinary clinic and spay and neutering programs that provide critical care for the animals within its community.
Whether or not you walk, run, hop or skip, the Furry 5K is a great way to help pets in need in Seattle. Registration only takes a few minutes and it’s well worth it for the lives you can help change. Sign up for the Furry 5K today.