Detroit Hosts 2nd Annual Mega March for Animals on October 7

October 7 marks Michigan Humane Society's 2nd Annual Mega March for animals. As discussed in the news article by Stephanie Baron on August 31, the first Mega March in October 2006 was a huge success bringing in over $215,000 dollars. This money was used to improve the lives of pets, to conduct cruelty investigation visits to rescue animals, to help pay for medical examines for animals in the adoption centers and to help with the cost of spaying and neutering animals.

Would you like to be part of the change this year? Then read on to find out how you can participate.

What is it?
The Mega March is a short two mile walk starting at Hart Plaza in Detroit. By registering to walk in the Mega March, you can ask for donations from friends and family to support you in your efforts. Over 3000 people and 1000 pets attended the 2006 Mega March and it is likely that number will rise each year. The Michigan Humane Society expects the number of participants to double in 2007. The event is presented by PETCO and has many local corporate sponsors including AT&T, General Motors, Comerica Bank, Masco and Compuware.

The 2007 walk will be held on Sunday, October 7, 2007 from 9 AM - approximately 1 PM. Registration begins at 9 AM. Company teams may have their own tent, but there will also be areas for the general walker to register. The official walk begins at 10 AM and the easy and fun two mile walk starts and ends at Hart Plaza. Click here for a virtual tour of the path! Parking locations and Driving directions are all available on the official Mega March website.

I want to Walk! How do I register?
There are various ways to register for this event. The Mega March Website makes it easy for you to sign up yourself or to create a whole team of walkers! If you already know your company and/or friends have started a team, you can start by going to Find a Walker or Team OR the Company List on the right hand side. Check the company list to see if your company is already listed to see if others from you job are also participating.

If you found a team to join, simply click "Join Team" to register! You will be signing up as a walker and you will be asked what your fund-raising goal is. Fill in all your information on the following screens and in the end you will be taken to your personalized fund-raising page. You can use the available online tools to customize your participant page, promote your team, invite new teammates and gather donations from friends and family.

Didn't find a team you'd like to join? Well then start your own team! Use the link on the main page to Form a New Team. After you've created it, you can invite all your friends and family to join. As a team leader, you have access to a participant center that allows you to track your entire teams progress, customize your teams home page, and track emails and followups.

Not into the internet that much? There are other options! Collect your donations and bring them all with you on the day of the event. You will be able to register when you arrive at 9 AM. Or call the Michigan Humane Society at 1-866-MHUMANE for information on other ways to register.

Bringing your pets? Please be sure they are ready!
If you would like to bring your pets to the event, here are some tips. While pets are welcome and encouraged, you need to know whether or not your pet can handle a large crowd of people and animals.

Tips from the Sponsor Sheet I received offline with some text added in by me.

* Please bring your pet only if he/she enjoys other animals and people! If your dog or cat has been known to panic or attack, this may not be the best event for them to participate in.

* Pets must be on a leash or in a carrier at all times. Pets should be under your control throughout the entire event to avoid fighting or confrontations.

* Be prepared to clean-up after your pet! Bring necessary bags or supplies as you are expected to take care of your pets potty breaks. With over 1000 animals, you can imagine the mess that would be left if no one cleaned up after their pets.

* Bring your pet's up-to-date vaccination records. The registration desk will want to see proof that your animal is vaccinated. This is to make sure your pet can't harm any of the other animals or people.

* Water will be provided for animals and walkers, however you may want to bring your own doggie treats or pet snacks to keep your pets happy throughout the event. You may want to bring your own people snacks to keep you going!

Call the Michigan Humane Society at 1-866-MHUMANE if you have more questions about bringing pets.

I can't walk, but I still want to Help. What should I do?
If you can't walk, or will not be available to join in on that day, you can still help by donating to the Mega March. As stated above, you can search for a walker, team, or company and make a donation to anyone you know. OR you can make a general donation to the walk as a whole by using the link on the main menu. Every little bit helps since it all adds up to the total. Give what you can! Then share the site with your friends and family to collect even more donations to help the animals. Even if you cannot come to the actual event, you can still make a huge impact by sending in your donations.

If you would rather donate offline, you can call the Michigan Humane Society at 1-866-MHUMANE for information on how to donate.

Are you motivated yet?
If the answer is YES, then visit the website now to register, donate, or find out more information. If the answer is NO, then visit the website anyway and maybe you will see something there to motivate you! Check out the pictures from last years event to see how much fun there was. Be sure to read the official article for even more motivating information on how much this Mega March has helped so far and how much they hope it will help in the future. I for one am looking forward to a fun walk with my friends and coworkers. It's not even a difficult thing to do, it's fun! Join today!!

Sources
All of the information discussed in this article can be found on http://www.michiganhumane.org/.

Stephanie Baron, "'SPEAK WITH YOUR FEET' AT MICHIGAN HUMANE SOCIETY'S SECOND ANNUAL MEGA MARCH FOR ANIMALS ON OCTOBER 7", Michigan Humane Society