Advantix, A March Against Abandonment

If you are an animal lover and you like to run, you certainly did not miss Advantix Running, the solidarity marathon that promotes the responsible adoption of pets  , which in April 2015 took place in Parco Sempione, in the heart of Milan.

Run with your dog

During this year’s edition,  600 dogs and their owners came from various Italian cities to run – running, marching or walking – a good 5 kilometers in Piazza del Cannone, inside Parco Sempione, during Expo 2015 .

The event, organized by Bayer, saw as testimonials Marco Berry, Edoardo Stoppa, Juliana Moreira and Susanna Message, and the special participation of the brothers Armen and Ararad Khatchikian, founders of the first Italian Sleddog school. This year’s edition was dedicated to Pet Terapy: the protagonists? Socially useful dogs!

The activity was aimed at the fun of the whole family, and included the participation of some specimens of dogs normally used for rescue missions and search for missing persons or rescue, guide dogs for the blind, service dogs and dogs for pets. therapy in schools, retirement homes and prisons.

Raising awareness against abandonment

The proceeds from the event were donated to the non-profit associations Arcadia Onlus and Dog Evolution, which deal with the care, reintegration and recovery of sick or abandoned dogs.

How to participate in Advantix

To participate in Advantix Running it is essential to meet a number of requirements. Between these:

• The dog must be  at least one year old. If younger, you can participate in the event walking or carried in the arms of the owner.

• The animals in the competition must remain tied to the leash for the entire duration of the competition.
• All dogs must be duly registered with the competent canine registry, with the relative microchip / tattoo.
• Dogs must be in compliance with the vaccinations required by current legislation, and owners must provide health documentation in order for their animal (health card) at the request of the organizing committee.
• If the registered animal is a female, it will not be admitted to the competition if in a state of heat.
• The dog owner must ensure that their pet has no precedent for aggressive attitudes towards other animals and / or people.
• Owners will be required to sign on-site self-certification of what has been declared regarding the animal’s state of health.
• Each dog can be associated with a person or a group of up to 3 people who will run together throughout the course.

Responsible participants

To ensure that everything runs smoothly and Advantix hits the mark with its awareness goal, the organizers advise competitors each year to monitor their pets’ behavior in order to avoid conflicts between participants.

Each owner must have a muzzle with him, should the situation require its use. In addition, pet owners will be responsible for cleaning any soiled by their dogs.

Finally, the veterinarians of ANMVI, the National Association of Italian Veterinarians, are present at the event to give advice on behavior, education and ways of relating to your pet.

Not only in Italy

The initiative to run against animal abandonment and responsible ownership is beginning to be successful in other parts of the world as well.

Other marathons ran at:

• Madrid (Spain)
• Cochabamba (Bolivia)
• Lima (Peru)
• Concepción (Chile)
• Quito (Ecuador)
• Querétaro (México)

Choose to adopt

In addition to the non-competitive race, the day of May 17 saw the setting up in Milan of a real village for dogs, with over 20 stands to meet the needs and requirements of all dogs. The aim was to give space to the various aspects of the daily life of these animals, from the food sector to the play area.

Now you know, and if you missed the latest Advantix Running, make a note of the next event in your diary. In addition to having a great day with your family and pet, you will be exercising and contributing to a good cause.

And if you want to participate but you don’t have a pet… what are you waiting for? This is the ideal opportunity to finally decide to adopt one, to offer him all the love and attention he needs.

Image courtesy of cayenne2006.