By Romy Stephens
This September, Yarra Valley visitors can expect to see pooches and their owners racing through the streets.
As part of the inaugural Discovery Dog – An Amazing Race, dogs and their human counterparts will find themselves darting through Wandin Park Estate on Sunday 22 September in a bid to be crowned the very first Discovery Dog Champion.
The Animal Aid event will have teams locating checkpoints and completing a range of activities – including construction tasks, cryptic puzzles and creative photo challenges – all while keeping an eye on the time and racing to the finish line.
All funds raised will go towards Animal Aid’s welfare program and care for homeless animals.
Fund-raising and events such as Discovery Dog are integral to ensure lost, unwanted and surrendered animals receive support and rehabilitation.
Animal Aid CEO Mark Menze said the event would be an exciting journey for teams and their dogs.
“Discovery Dog is the best opportunity for you to challenge yourself and your dog in a number of different tasks,” he said.
“This game is not about speeding through to the destination, it’s all about the journey that gets you there.
“Discovery Dog is an inclusive and exciting experience that you’ll get to share with your dog and team.”
The structure of Discovery Dog requires competitors to be in teams of two or four, with at least one dog per team.
Registrations are open via www.animalaid.org.au/discovery-dog.
