05-01-2016 07:00

Seven hundred dogs and their owners race through Spain’s capital to highlight dog owner rights in the city. When we say raced, it was more of a walk.

The hundreds of canines and their owners joined the traditional San Perrestre race to raise awareness about abandoned animals and to call for a more dog-friendly Madrid as they demand access of their pet’s to the city’s metro system.

This participant said that specifically what they want is for dogs to be allowed on the Madrid Metro like they are in Barcelona, and above all, to enjoy this festive day and enjoy it with their dogs around central Madrid.

The march was to raise awareness about abandoned animals and people of all ages and canines of all shapes and sizes participated in the event, including many with disabilities and rescue dogs.

This owner was extremely thankful for the event.

“Sifio had a hernia in September, and I actually put up a Crowdfunding page to help with his rehab, his operation and a lot of people donated, so I’m really thankful. So when I saw that there was something like this, I thought it was a good idea for me to bring him down just to have some fun while he’s in, you know, his recuperation stage, and also I thought it was a good idea and something nice for me to do back for a good cause.”

To mark the occasion, a couple of canines even got hitched in the race. Above all, participants had a great day with man’s best friend.

Difficult words: highlight (to show something is important), canine (a dog), abandoned (left behind), demand access (to ask strongly to be able to do something), festive (fun), hernia (when an organ in your body pushes into another part of the body), Crowdfunding (a way to give money to something you like through the Internet), rehab (to go to doctors to get better), recuperation (healing), get hitched (to be married).