Harbor House of Central Florida will host its 15th annual Paws for Peace Walk and Run this weekend in Orlando, raising money to help domestic violence survivors who need shelter for themselves and their pets.
The event is scheduled for Saturday at Mayor Glenda Hood Park in Baldwin Park and is expected to draw about 300 people and their dogs for a morning of walking, running and pet-themed activities.
Organizers say the fundraiser supports Harbor House’s Paws for Peace Kennel, an on-site shelter program that allows survivors escaping abuse to bring pets with them instead of leaving them behind.
For many survivors, advocates say concern for a pet’s safety can delay the decision to leave an abusive home.
Harbor House says 65% of survivors delay leaving because they fear harm to their pets, while 71% of pet owners report an abuser threatened or injured an animal.
The kennel opened in 2012 and has since housed more than 400 animals, including dogs, cats, birds, turtles and guinea pigs.
This year’s “Yappy Birthday” theme marks the event’s 15th anniversary and will include a pet costume contest, dog ice cream, a lure chase, scavenger hunt and yoga with pets.
Registration opens at 7 a.m. Saturday, with the 5K beginning at 8 a.m. and the community walk starting at 9:30 a.m.
Harbor House is Orange County’s only state-certified domestic violence shelter and one of the few shelters in Florida with an on-site kennel for pets.
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