Rescued Greek stray dogs Jimmy and Ivar are two “runners” of the Penny Marathon, an annual event that takes place in cities around the world to raise awareness of the plight of stray animals. Their disability is no obstacle for their love of life, nor is it for their loving owners.
The Penny Marathon started in 2012, when two Greek-Australian sisters, Ellie and Pep Prodromou, ran from Marathon to Athens, in Greece’s summer, to raise awareness of the millions of stray animals that live on Greece’s inhospitable streets.
The event is now in its 12th year, and is hosted in several countries, whereby people run, cycle and walk with their dogs to show their support for the values the Penny Marathon has come to represent.
Jimmy has participated in many of the events in Athens, Greece, and everyone knows Jimmy; from his wheelchair and the number plate with his name. Everyone looks forward to the kisses he gives to fellow participants.
Like many dogs in Greece, life started out rough for Jimmy. He was born as a stray dog in Kalamata, south-western Greece, but, luckily for him, was rescued by Angela Rapti when he was still a puppy.
As an adult, Jimmy lost use of his hind legs when a car ran a red light and hit the vehicle in which Jimmy was a passenger. His paralysis has not affected his ability to live a life full of adventure; indeed, Angela takes him on summer holidays to places like Italy.
Ivar also lived life on the street. For stray dogs and cats in Greece, the need to access food and water for survival is one of many threats and the reality is they are forced to navigate and endure violence and abuse, which often leads to a long, painful death.
As a small dog, Ivar was an especially easy target. On one particular day, Ivar’s abuser took out a rifle and shot off his front legs but a compassionate local eventually heard his screams and came to his rescue. Ivar survived surgery with two partially amputated legs.
Jenny Vougiouklaki saw his photo online. Social media pages are full of Greek rescued strays looking for forever families; many spend their entire lives behind a makeshift shelter’s fence, waiting for that elusive person to give them a chance at a loving, safe and peaceful life. The idea that a dog with special needs would ever find a home was so remote it was next to impossible.
Before giving it a second thought, Ivar was already in Jenny’s home. His tragedy brought about the circumstances in which these two living beings would live out life together, regardless of the challenges.
In 2022, Ivar and Jimmy were among the 60 dogs that participated in the Penny Marathon in Athens. And they were not the only ones participating in wheelchairs! The purpose of the event is to shed light on issues that affect all suffering animals and to celebrate animal welfare volunteers around the world who move heaven and Earth to save their lives.
The event will take place on Sunday, 9 July in Athens, Kalamata/Messini and Kalambaka in Greece, and Seitengin-Oberflacht in Germany. The Penny Marathon also takes place in Sydney in October.
Photo: Supplied
Photo: Supplied
The crowd at the race. Photo: Supplied
The Penny Marathon is a volunteer-run, registered charity with tax-deductibility status. Since 2012, it has provided around $200,000 in direct support to save the lives of animals. Among its most recent initiatives was working with frontline rescuers in Odessa, Ukraine, to spay and neuter pets abandoned during the war, some of which went on to find loving homes in Europe.
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