The 2014 edition of Dogathon sees a record participation of 1,216 canines

THE Dogathon 2014 in Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) ended on a high note after it made it into the Malaysia Book of Records for the Biggest Dog Gathering In Malaysia.

A total of 1,216 furry friends were recorded at the event in Bukit Ekspo, UPM, organised by its Veternak and Zoological Club of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, which has been organising the event for the past 18 years.

This is the third Malaysia Book of Records feat they have attempted. The first in 1997 and the second in 2010 with a total of 1,111 dogs.

Dogathon 2014 co-director Winniesa Pi Chit said the dogathon was an annual event that was aimed at raising funds for the Stray Animal Awareness organised by Pro-Kasih, another non-governmental campaign.

Pro-Kasih is a stray animal neutering project aimed at controlling the population of strays in a humane way.

Dogs and owners taking part in the Dogathon 2015 at Bukit Expo UPM.

 

“Pro-Kasih organises neutering projects every year for animals around our colleges and university.

“We also encourage people to neuter their pets. This tames them and reduces the risk of their dogs getting cancer,” she said.

Funds were collected through several games for both dogs and their owners.

The main highlight, however, was the dog race that saw the canines and their human friends racing over a 2.4km course.

The race had a new theme this year, Battlefield, In Dog We Trust.

Other events included the main stage games, focused on strengh-tening the bond between owners and their dogs.

A dog being pushed in a cute stroller during the event.

 

“The main stage events look at the interaction between the owners and their pets we review the response of the dogs,” Winniesa added.

There was also a demonstration by the K-9 unit of the Royal Malaysian Police as well as another by Lyeric K9 on dog obedience.

Visitor Wendy Lee, 29, was spotted with her obedient Rottweiler.

She said she was a fan of the event and found it to be a great place to help her dog socialise.

“There is a perception of Rottweilers being an aggressive breed and I hope to show people just how loving and sweet these dogs are when properly trained.

“Unfortunately, a few bad owners have given the breed a bad name,” she said.

Another visitor Eleena Bulwant, 57, said this was her second year at the dogathon and had hoped her two dogs could have won.

Students Michelle Kua and her friend Sin Yee, both 22, said they enjoyed attending the event despite not being dog owners.

They found the trip to be educational and fun at the same time.

“We love looking at all the different types of breeds that come each year and we always discover a new one each year,” said Kua.

Sin Yee, on the other hand, said she picked up some useful tips on dog training from some of the exhibitors at the event.