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Ahimsa House | Walk, Wag N' Run

08.26.2017

ATLANTA RESIDENTS AND THEIR PETS WALK, WAG, AND RUN FOR THE END OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

Atlanta, GA – Ahimsa House, Georgia’s only nonprofit to help human and animal victims of domestic violence, hosts its annual Walk, Wag N’ Run 5k and 1K Fun Run on Saturday, August 26. The 5k race is a Peachtree Road Race qualifier and runs through Lenox Park in Brookhaven. Dogs are welcome.

Since 2004, Ahimsa House has provided almost 70,000 nights of emergency safe shelter for animals in abusive situations. This allows domestic violence victims the chance to look for safe housing, and 92% of its clients have been reunited with their pets.

One such client, Janine*, reached out to Ahimsa House one evening in a panic after her German Shepherd, Star, jumped on Janine's abusive boyfriend to stop him from strangling her to death. She desperately needed to enter her local domestic violence shelter but they did not accept animals. Star entered the Ahimsa House program and stayed in a foster home while Janine was able to recover and get back on her feet, and happily the two were reunited less than two months later.

“Without our help, I shudder to think what might have happened to Janine if she had to return to her abuser,” says Myra Rasnick, Executive Director. “But thankfully we were able to reunite her with her dog, and they have started a violence-free life together.”

Sadly, demand for our services is increasing. In 2016, Ahimsa House answered almost 2,300 calls to our 24-hour crisis line, and assisted 137 people and their 255 pets in escaping domestic violence.

During the first four months of 2017 alone, Ahimsa House provided over 4,500 nights of safe shelter and completed 482 transports for 106 animals. “Those are 106 animals that were able to escape violent homes with their owners!” says Rasnick. “But we need community support to continue to help these victims escape the grips of domestic violence.”

The Walk, Wag ‘N’ Run allows Atlanta residents to show their concern for domestic violence victims across the state. The funds raised support a 24-hour crisis hotline, emergency shelter, veterinary care, and legal advocacy.

Ahimsa House

For more race details and to register, visit www.ahimsahouse.org/walkwagnrun.

Businesses and nonprofit organizations are also invited to set up vendor booths at the event. For more information on that, visit  http://ahimsahouse.org/vendor/.

*name has been changed to protect client identity

 

Contact: Myra Rasnick, Executive Director

Telephone: (404) 496-4038;  e-mail: director@ahimsahouse.org

More Information/Registration


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