No longer just a pup, the Million Paws Walk is a seasoned and refined stud as the charity walk celebrates almost 30 years of raising awareness and funding for animals in need. Canberra locals are undertaking the region’s 28th Million Paws Walk at Patrick White Lawns on Sunday 26 May.
While it might not be the nice round number of the big 3-0, Michelle Robertson CEO of RSPCA ACT says it is still a time to celebrate the caring and dog-loving people and pups of Canberra.
Hoping to spot some familiar faces among the crowd, the RSPCA ACT team is gearing up for an exciting event. Rhiannon Kwateng, the executive manager of fundraising and marketing, is attending her 15th walk, while dedicated volunteers Alison and Pete have participated in all 28. The team is particularly eager to photograph and feature some of the recurring participants on the day, celebrating their ongoing commitment and support.
“It would be really good if there are Canberrans who have attended every single million paws walk since we started or even people who have come from the past ten years,” says Michelle.
Selling 1,800 tickets last year, Michelle says it would be amazing if they were able to break the 2,000 mark this year. Already putting in a request for good weather, she knows it will be a great day out, complete with all the goods the public expects from the day like food stalls, pet products for sale and live entertainment.
Attendees have the chance to vote for their favourite pooch shot in the Wild for Fashion pet photo competition thanks to Ina J Photography. The parades are back with hopefully the return of the adoptee showcase.
“Anybody that is going to be out here that has adopted from us, we would love to see you. We want to see you on the stage and just have a little bit of a proud moment, a reflective moment, to see some of those dogs that have been with us, that we know and love and seeing them flourish,” smiles Michelle.
The dog day out welcomes pooches of all shapes and sizes, Michelle says that for everyone to have a fun, stress-free and safe day out, there are a couple of guidelines.
“Every single dog is welcome that is on a lead, that is up to date with vaccinations and of course that is well socialised. The owners just need to make sure their dog is under control. Please don’t bring rabbits or cats,” she says.
The Million Paws Walk is the RSPCA’s biggest event where people can come together as a community and just have fun, Michelle says it is a day all about connection. It is also an opportunity to raise much-needed funds, with all the money raised going directly back into the running of the shelter.
“We’ve had more animals coming in than are being adopted out, it is placing an enormous amount of strain on us. We really need the financial support, the volunteering support and the fostering support now more than ever,” says Michelle.
Currently with more than 370 animals in care, Michelle explains that while they expect a spike in numbers during the summer months, they don’t seem to be going down. Between December and April, they saw nearly 90 puppies come through the doors and there are still around 150 kittens in care, proving last year’s long kitten season wasn’t an anomaly.
“Times are rough. Everybody is working incredibly hard, but we don’t have enough people, we don’t have enough space, we don’t have enough money, we don’t have enough of anything except love,” says Michelle.
Without the hard work of their crew of 253 volunteers, the animal welfare facility would be unable to operate. Michelle says simply, they wouldn’t be able to exist without volunteers.
“Imagine if we had 370 animals here at the same time, we wouldn’t be able to control the population, it would be too big and it would lead to disease.”
Foster care is one of the ways volunteers help the animals. They help to manage the volume of cats entering the shelter, socialise animals and provide a loving interim home. It is not just cats that are fostered, it is dogs, guinea pigs and even the occasional chicken.
Shelter volunteers walk the dogs, clean enclosures and provide socialisation and company for the animals. Some volunteers prepare food for the exotic and farm animals, another helps with admin while others come help for just the special events. Michelle says everyone is just as valid as they all work together to achieve a common goal.
“It creates a community and friendships are formed; it’s a sense of belonging and coming together. It’s all about the love for animals that binds everybody together. It is a great team of staff and volunteers,” says Michelle.
Some of these volunteers have been coming back for decades, no matter the weather or personal issues they may be facing, they always show up for the animals.
“What humbles me is seeing this core group of volunteers who show up when it’s pouring rain, and they just put their raincoats on and take the dogs out,” says Ms Robertson.
One of these core volunteers is Pam Behncke, who has been volunteering at RSPCA ACT for over 20 years. Driven by her love of animals, Pam helps out every Monday, Wednesday and Friday and will come in if the team is short-staffed.
“If it’s going to be a really horrible day; wet, cold or stinking hot, I would come in on a Sunday. But I never do Saturdays because I need to go to the Farmer’s Market,” smiles Pam.
Losing her own dog about a year before volunteering, Pam wasn’t ready to get another but wanted to spend time with the happy creatures and RSPCA ACT was the perfect place to do it. Walking up to half a dozen dogs a day, Pam says the work keeps you fit as they walk up to 16km a day.
“Sometimes, if they’re not to be walked—perhaps they’ve just had an operation or something similar—I’ll just go cuddle with them in the kennels,” she says.
Joining Pam each week are another three volunteers, all of them in their mid to late 70s. Pam says they have become close over the years and often socialise outside of the shelter. Along with friendship and fitness, you also feel good about helping out an animal, and she promises you get over wanting to keep them all.
“It took me a while to get over wanting to take them all home. I’d look at the interview board and see one of my favourites has an interview this afternoon and then they’re not here the next day, so they’ve been adopted. That’s the exciting part, when any dog has gone to a good home,” smiles Pam.
Grab a pooch and join the RSPCA’s Million Paws Walk at Patrick White Lawns on Sunday 26 May from 9am. Visit millionpawswalk.com.au/act to learn more and find out how you can help RSPCA ACT at rspca-act.org.au.
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