China Hosts Pet Olympics Too!

Posted by
Mia Carter
Aug 10, 2008

The 2008 Beijing Olympic Games aren't just attracting human athletes. Animal athletes - "Olympets" - are also competing in an array of sports, like field and track in Hong Kong. And that's exactly what I like to hear; humans including the animals in the Olympic festivities.

Hong Kong's largest pet store, PetMAX, has been hosting the Animal Olympic Games since early summer of 2008.

"We wish to advocate that cats and dogs also need to exercise because many dogs in Hong Kong do not go out, so they rarely face people and interact with other animals. And we hope to hold these kinds of sports to strengthen their bodies," explained PetMAX President Howard Cheung.

The animal Olympians can take part in an array of events, with their human "coaches." There's tug-of-war games, track and field events involving races And it's not just dogs and cats either. Reptiles, small pocket pets like rabbits, hamsters and guinea pigs are also becoming Olympians.

I think the idea of animal Olympians is wonderful - I love seeing instances of creative individuals who take a human-centric event and transform it into a game or event for pets and their humans.

What's even better is the fact that the Animal Olympiad benefits a good cause. Proceeds raised at PetMAX's ongoing Olypmpic game for pets benefits victims of the Sichuan earthquake.