In 1994, the first Million Paws Walk was held to benefit the RSPCA of Queensland, Australia. Dr Cam Day,
veterinarian, felt a special event involving animals of all types walking together would provide a fun day for pets and
their owners and raise much needed funds for the RSPCA. In the first event, five hundred people took their dogs and cats
for a stroll around suburban streets, raising almost $10,000 dollars for RSPCA's disadvantaged animals. Participation in
the fundraising event has grown each year, with the most interesting entrant to the Million Paws Walk being a sheep
raised in suburbia who thought it was a dog. RSPCA Australia, who works so that animals are treated with the compassion and consideration they deserve, is a non-profit, non-government charity, dedicated to animal welfare and responsible for implementing state animal protection laws. The RSPCA holds the belief that an animal's welfare should be considered in terms of five freedoms: freedom from hunger and thirst; freedom from discomfort; freedom from pain, injury or disease; freedom to express normal behavior; and freedom from fear and distress.
This year, one of the dogs who will be
walking in the Milllion Paws Walk is 12-year-old Welsh Springer spaniel,
Dylan, who is battling cancer. Bringing him to the walk will be his owner, Denise Mullins. If Dylan and Denise can
show up to benefit disadvantaged pets, then the healthy younger dogs have no excuse, now do they. The challenge is on!
The Western Australia Million Paws Walk event takes place on Sunday, April 30 and then one more Million Paws Walk will take place on May 21, 2006. Visit the RSPCA website for locations and details.
