Pooch lovers hit the pavement to raise money for pet charity

Hundreds of residents and their furry friends have turned out in Docklands to raise money for charity Save-A-Dog.

Organiser and long-term Docklands resident Ayda Hornak from Pet Squad Pty Ltd said the inaugural “Walk for PetWellness” event on May 1 was a resounding success with about 225 pooch lovers showing their support.

“We had great weather, lots of locals supported the event along with people outside of Docklands, with some Save-A-Dog rescues also doing the walk,” she said.

“The community was very supportive, volunteering to help on the day. We will definitely make this an annual event with PetWell and RES by Mirvac committing to long term sponsorships to make this possible.”

The event saw dog walkers gather at 9am at Point Park before making their way to Ron Barassi Senior Park and back again.

Local restaurant The Espressonist cooked a barbecue lunch for the participants, with 20 per cent of their sales going towards the charity, with $7,032.70 raised in total.

“It was pretty successful, everyone came in after their walk and had a good time, and raised some money for the charity,” the restaurant’s manager Jill Manguiat said, adding owners “came fully stocked with their own treats” for their well-deserved furry companions.

“We’re part of the community. It added more of that buzzing atmosphere, everything is getting back to pre-COVID times which is really nice.”

Save-A-Dog is a not-for-profit organisation committed to saving and rehoming hundreds of dogs and cats every year.

“The work Save-A-Dog do is important, and they need our help to continue saving animal lives. Your contribution today will go a long way in helping them do that, so a massive thank you to everyone who walked and donated,” Ms Hornak told participants •