Put Your Paws to the Pavement

BY SUSAN BROWNING SCHULZ

Most of us would agree with actress Gilda Radner, who said, “I think dogs are the most amazing creatures; they give unconditional love. For me, they are the role models for being alive.”

Sadly, in some parts of the world, dogs do not have this great esteem. The Street Dog Dash is a nonprofit that exists to support the success of local rescues in Cherokee County and surrounding areas, and to put an end to the suffering of dogs in the Asian meat trade. The nonprofit’s annual 5K is set for April 29 at Etowah River Park in Canton.

“I founded Street Dog Dash 5K (SDD5K) in 2018 as a way to serve my local community and give back to the world,” Woodstock resident Haley Williams said. “I’m a strong believer in trying to leave the world a better place than you found it. Once I learned about the dog meat trade in Asia, something inside me broke, and I knew that I had to act. SDD5K was born out of my God-given love for animals, and a belief that we must be a voice for the less fortunate, and those who can’t speak for themselves.”

The SDD5K raises funds and awareness for the fight against the dog meat trade. Its nonprofit of choice is the Soi Dog Foundation, which has been running for more than 11 years and is committed to ending this barbaric business. Headquartered in Thailand, Soi Dog has been successful in ending the trade in its own country and getting restrictive laws passed in other Asian countries. Soi Dog works toward the enforcement of existing laws, educating the public about the health risks associated with this trade, and providing farmers with alternative ways to earn income. Progress is being made.

In Cherokee and surrounding counties, SDD5K supports animal shelters, rescue groups and smaller organizations, such as Rescue Me Georgia.

Josh and Michelle Williams stepped into the role of directors of race operations beginning in fall 2021. Even though involvement in the SDD5K is recent, their passion for pups is not. Josh and Michelle met in 2014 at Brook Run Dog Park in Atlanta, where their three rescue dogs became best friends. They soon fell in love, married, brought everyone together as one big happy family, and moved to Canton.

“I discovered SDD5K after coordinating an outdoor community event for the company I worked for at the time,” Michelle said. “Since both Josh and I love the idea of supporting rescues and dogs in need, we also participated in the race. When the opportunity arose to take on more responsibility as race directors, we happily said yes to supporting our local communities and improving the lives of animals.”

SDD5K is a fun family event to get everyone moving. Everyone is welcome, including four-legged family members. Not a runner? No problem. You can walk the 3 miles with or without your pup. Here are a few recommendations from some of your metro Atlanta neighbors:

“The SDD5k is absolutely my favorite race! It’s so much fun to see all the dogs (and their humans) enjoying the event,” Brooke Hopkins said.

“This (year) will be my third time participating in the SDD5K! It is a great event put on in our community for runners and fur friends alike. A great course and an even better cause. Cannot wait until April 29!” Kasi Winkles said.

Katie Nix said: “Participating in the SDD5K isn’t just about testing your own limits; it’s about pushing for a greater cause. I heard about the SDD5K in the Around Woodstock magazine, and knew it was a cause I wanted to support, no questions asked. When you lace up your sneakers and hit the pavement, you’re not only supporting the health and wellness of yourself, but you’re also making a difference for dogs in need and your local community. The joy of crossing that finish line is amplified by the knowledge that your efforts have contributed to something bigger than yourself, helping to create a better future for animals and people alike. I can’t wait to see what 2023 has in store for the SDD5K!”

To learn more or sign up for this year’s race, visit streetdogdash5k.org, email info@streetdogdash5k.org or scan the QR code to register. To stay up-to-date on race details, participate in contests and more, follow @streetdogdash5k on Facebook and Instagram.

Every year, more than 2,800 kids are treated in emergency rooms after swallowing button batteries; that’s one child every three hours. The number of serious injuries or deaths has increased ninefold in the past decade. Canton resident Peggy Byess shares her story to educate families, parents, caregivers and grandparents about the dangers of button-battery ingestion.

“In February, Kenzi, our 3-year-old and youngest of seven, began having a raspy voice. I assumed it was due to her recent case of strep throat. Aside from that, she seemed perfectly normal and was eating, drinking and playing normally. Then, Kenzi became congested in her chest. The next night, I could hear high-pitched noises in her sleep, and her chest started to compress when she would breathe. I immediately drove her to urgent care in Canton. As we were in line to check-in, they could hear Kenzi’s labored breathing. (They immediately) sent someone out to check her oxygen levels, and our nightmare began.

“Kenzi and I were rushed through triage. She was given a breathing treatment and a chest X-ray. Fearing pneumonia or respiratory syncytial virus, I wasn’t prepared for what they told me. The doctor entered the room and said that an ambulance was en route. Kenzi had a quarter-sized object lodged in her trachea, and we had to be rushed to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta — Egleston Hospital, the only Level 1 trauma hospital for children. I had no idea when or what she had swallowed.

“Upon arrival at Egleston, things moved quickly. Doctors explained that they must immediately remove the lodged object, and they would attempt to retrieve it the way it went down. By the time my husband arrived, Kenzi was already in surgery. After two hours, surgeons identified the object as a button battery, but her esophagus was too swollen to remove it the easy way. They pushed the battery into her stomach and called in another surgical team to remove it. An hour or more went by, and the surgeons informed us they had successfully removed the battery and a penny that was stuck to it. The surgeon said that the penny is probably the only thing that saved her life because, instead of burning through her esophagus, the penny took the brunt of the damage.

“The next time we saw our baby girl, she was intubated and under heavy sedation. We remained at Egleston for nearly two weeks, (Kenzi) on a feeding tube allowing her esophagus to heal. Gastrointestinal specialists will continue to monitor things carefully, as scar tissue could form and create more issues down the road.

“We learned that the battery Kenzi swallowed came from a musical birthday card. A button battery can burn a hole through the esophagus within two hours of ingestion. The doctors don’t know the long-term effects, and we are praying they are minimal.

Overall, we are thankful to still have our baby girl with us.”

During this family emergency, Peggy did not leave her daughter while her husband juggled work and cared for their other six children. Now, he works 12-hour days six days a week. Peggy stays home and home-schools her children. “My salary is less than the cost of child care. Our last six months have been some of the roughest,” Peggy said. “I lost my mom to cancer, my son was diagnosed with ADHD, our HVAC unit stopped working, forcing us to heat our home with our woodburning stove all winter. And, now, this. It is so overwhelming as the medical bills are beginning to come in. I just need the universe to let me take a breath before adding more.”

A GoFundMe has been set up in support of the Byess family, to help them get through this difficult season. Everyday Angels would like to help them, as well as remind our readers of the dangers of button batteries. We will accept donations or grocery cards to encourage this sweet family.