Animal-welfare advocates plan to begin a roughly 200-mile march Saturday from Albany to North Rose in Wayne County, where participants will call attention to the use and treatment of dogs bred for research.
The March for Animals is scheduled to start Sept. 12 and end at Marshall BioResources in North Rose. Organizers expect participants to cover about 15 miles per day, according to a release from Honey Paws, an initiative supporting the event.
The release did not provide a detailed route, daily stops or an expected arrival date in Wayne County. Honey Paws said it has contacted elected officials whose districts are along the route and invited state lawmakers to participate and speak during the event.
Campaign targets animal testing
March organizers describe Marshall BioResources as a major breeder of dogs used in research. They estimate that close to 20,000 dogs are held at company facilities, a figure attributed to organizers in the Honey Paws release.
The march is intended to raise awareness about animal testing and the treatment of dogs bred for research. Elizabeth Izard Apelles, founder of Greater Honeycomb, said the walk gives people an opportunity to focus attention on those issues and become involved in the campaign.
Honey Paws said it is also conducting outreach to state and federal officials in New York and Pennsylvania. The organization linked that effort to animal-welfare advocacy involving commercial dog-breeding operations in both states.
Fundraising supports permits and travel
Honey Paws has created an online merchandise store benefiting March for Animals. The store generated nearly $8,000 in sales during its first three weeks, according to the release, with 85% of profits designated to support the march.
The organization said it had provided more than $2,700 in profits to the campaign when the release was prepared. Additional proceeds were expected as the September event approached.
Organizers plan to use the money for insurance, permits, signs and vehicles that can assist participants who cannot walk the full daily distance. Honey Paws is also providing outreach support in addition to fundraising.
Honey Paws is an animal-welfare initiative of Greater Honeycomb, a nonprofit formerly known as Greater Good. The nonprofit also operates Honeycomb Health, which supports organizations serving people affected by rare diseases.
The release said Honey Paws plans to continue updating elected officials and other interested parties during September and after the march is completed.
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