Pet owners and pet lovers turned out in numbers today to support the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) Tim Howick-Smith 1000 Paws Doggy Walkathon in conjunction with the Ministry of Agriculture at Albert Park Suva.
SPCA Chair, Seema Deo says they want to raise awareness for people that want to have pets and what their responsibilities and commitments to their pets are.
Deo says they are also hoping to raise a few dollars for the SPCA.
She says they even have a snuggle booth where people can meet a puppy from SPCA and give them a cuddle for $3 or even walk a shelter dog.
Mercy Naulu was there with her 3-year-old maltipoo, Bear and they were just happy to socialise with other owners and pets.
Bear was kitted out in a blue kalavata with Naulu and her friends.
Another pet owner, Michelle Jones was there with her 4 and a half-year-old doberman, Duke who she brought over from Australia.
Jones says Duke’s diet consists of raw beef mince, chicken and beef bones as a snack.
She says Duke loves running so they have to keep him busy and while he likes the water, they are still trying to get him to other water spots or beaches around the country.
Assistant Minister for Agriculture, Tomasi Tunabuna say in the almost 30 years that he has been in the Ministry this is the first time he and the Director for Agriculture have been invited to an event like this.
Tunabuna says most of those years was devoted to animal welfare, prevention of cruelty, and also protection of other livestock.
He says the coalition government will maintain its commitment o assisting the SPCA and other animal welfare organisations.
