Original Article: https://blog.theanimalrescuesite.greatergood.com/shelter-pet-olympics-wisconsin/
As the Olympics get underway, we’re all ready to see feats of athletic prowess and surprising results from underdogs. In Wisconsin, a group of animal shelters will be showcasing the athletic prowess and surprising feats of actual dogs… and cats.
The “As Good As Gold Animal Olympics” will run during the same stretch as the Tokyo Olympics and be put on by four shelters – Bob’s House for Dogs, Chippewa County Humane Association, Eau Claire County Humane Association, and the Dunn County Humane Society. According to the event page, they’ll be showcasing their animals’ amazing athletic abilities and competitive spirits.
What will these athletic talents be? The puptathlon? The disc-hiss? The purr-allel bars? Organizers aren’t letting people know ahead of time, but one thing is for sure: They’re not kitten around.
Bob’s House for Dogs co-founder Travis Quella says, “It’s going to be cute and it’s going to be neat. There’s been a lot of work put in and that’s what it takes to put on a good event.”
While specific talents are under wraps for now, organizers say there could be some skateboards and trampolines.
BHFD board member Christena O’Brien says, “We may not have Simone Biles in our mix, but some of the things these animals can do is amazing.”
O’Brien came up with the event idea when she saw her cat go from the floor to the top of his cat tree.
Between July 23rd and August 8th, the participating pets will be shown via videos and photos. While it will be entertaining, the shelters really hope it’ll help these adorable animals get out of their rescues and into forever homes. If nothing else, it could inspire people to visit.
Quella says, “It’s always nice when you’re able to bring some of them out. “It’s a good sample of, hey this what some of the dogs would be like if you were to make an appointment and come out.”
People in the area who have already adopted a talented pet are also encouraged to share their own videos and pictures.
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Throughout it all, donations will be accepted. The proceeds will be split among all four shelters.
If you’d like to enjoy the event while taking a break from the human Olympics, you can check out the event page to find out more.
There aren’t any disappointed second-place finishers here, either. All the animals will get gold medals.
Source: The Animal Rescue Site Blog
