It was a pawsome Saturday morning two weeks ago (Yes, my lazy self could not be current with my blog posts any minute now LOL) for us dog lovers and our furry buddies as we joined Doggie Run 2016 made possible by Pet Express! This was a first time for me so I didn’t have an idea as to how exactly the event would go but all I know and expect is it would be a fun-filled morning for us to run alongside our pets! 🙂
Few days before the event, we already registered at a selected Pet Express branch so we could already claim and prepare these necessary stuff needed.
Each kit includes a Pet Express shirt for us humans and an adorable bandana for the pets. Also included once you registered is a brown envelope containing detailed planned route of the fun run, (depending on which kilometer run you registered to – 1.5km, 3km, and 5km are the options), the registration number of the pet and the owner, plus the stub for freebies, photobooth and other activities. We initially opted for just the 1.5km since we’re not sure if our pets could run the 3km and 5km, but unfortunately, slots for 1.5km run had run out so we had to go for 3km instead.
The event was held at the SM Mall of Asia grounds and started the first run at around 6am so we were up really early that morning and headed to the venue around 5am so we were just in time as the program began. Every dog-lovers gathered and happily greeted each other. We also saw different pet organizations present at the event just like that one you could see in the picture above, the Dog Society of Pampanga. It’s just so nice to know that people would go places even though far from home, and would make so much effort for this kind of event to be possible, all for the love of our dear pets.
As we step foot on the place, we were overwhelmed by the number of dogs barking at each other, some seemed so excited and were playing together, while a few being just not in the mood to do this LOL, others have gone crazy running around endlessly, and of course the pet owners who obviously had just woken up too but still you could see enthusiasm on their faces as we all prepared our pets just like how our parents were preparing us for a school event when we were still in our elementary days. Indeed there was chaos everywhere with the tags, pins, bandanas, but still you could feel the excitement of everyone as we finally settled down and be ready.
Good morning from our handsome Siberian husky Kiell and his guardian, Lea 🙂 I’m not sure if it’s really a good morning for Kiell though because he looked overwhelmed too and somehow shocked with all the dogs he saw everywhere.
And hello from our little Shih Tzu, Summer and her guardian Dhana! 🙂 Our little buddy sure looks so busy with his eyes wandering everywhere as well.
There were a lot of sponsors too! And that just means more freebies for our buddies!
And of course, for security and safety of our pets, good thing to know there’s a vet assigned for the event.
There were also a number of different booths for us to check out and purchase discounted items.
As soon as the gunshot fired to mark the beginning of the run, everybody were all smiles and began the race! 🙂
This helicopter drone was up there recording and capturing the whole event view from the top.
Apologies for the blurriness of this photo. I can’t have a good shot because of the moving crowd I am with and the distractions coming by. But I just have to post this one because even though a bit frustrating and challenging for the dog owners, it’s also adorable to see dogs who suddenly stopped in the middle of the run and decided to take a rest and just sleep there even though they barely even run a meter LOL! 🙂
Along the way, there were water breaks sponsored by our hydration partner, Aquabest, to refuel everybody with energy to finally finish the run.
After half an hour, we could already see Kiell and Summer approaching the finish line and we were so excited to go and congratulate them!
We were ecstatic as Summer and Kiell were given their finisher medals! Proud parents here! LOL 🙂
Another exciting thing to look forward to after finishing the run was this shower for those pets who wanted to freshen up but of course only if allowed by their owners. It’s so cute to see them falling in line for their turn and others really enjoying the unlimited water! We also wanted to let Summer and Kiell go have a shower but we did not have towels and could not bring them inside the car wet.
Good job, Summer and Kiell!
After the fun run, we could see dogs really tired so they took time to rest while others were still active and started to line up for the booths and activities.
Kudos to the host of the event! I must say he really managed to pull it off with a never fading smile! 🙂
We also noticed this lovable little buddy who behaved so well while waiting in line for the freebies with her owner. She just looks up to her and moves forward only when her owner moved too. She’s not even distracted with anything! Talk about self-discipline! 🙂
There’s a raffle promo too!
After lining up for freebies, we received both treats for pet and human! Everyone was surely happy for their rewards. 🙂
We enjoyed the whole event so much that we’re definitely joining again next year! Thanks Pet Express for this wonderful and amazing experience! This will be a very memorable adventure with our pets that we won’t ever forget. 🙂
Below is a short video from the event. The first dog you’ll see running towards the finish line was the first placer. You’ll also see those pets who were throwing tantrums in the middle of the run, and those who took all their precious time walking the whole route. There were also late comers but still they pushed through and still enjoyed the moment.
Don’t forget to tap HD for better viewing. Thanks and have fun! 🙂
