This target reflects our commitment to long-term, humane solutions that reduce suffering at its source and create lasting change for dogs and the communities they live in.

Sterilisation is the only effective and compassionate way to reduce the stray dog population, and with February marking Spay/Neuter Awareness Month, the timing could not be more significant.

Inspired by the endurance, resilience, and collective spirit of the runners, this initiative turns kilometres run into lives changed. It is proof of what’s possible when people come together for a cause bigger than themselves.

The conditions of the marathon were unforgiving; a challenge like no other. Runners navigated rocky terrain deep underground in complete darkness, guided only by head torches. There were no cheering crowds, no daylight, no fresh air, just heat, isolation, and relentless physical demand. Every kilometre tested their resolve.

For dogs living on the streets, darkness is not metaphorical. It is the daily reality of abandonment, hunger, injury, and uncertainty.

By taking this extraordinary challenge underground, champion of the Foundation, Augustus Royds, helped shine a global light on the plight of stray dogs, raising vital funds to support our mission and prevent suffering before it starts, creating lasting change for both animals and communities.

Every step taken in the darkness was for the dogs who rely on us to bring them into the light.

This marathon proved that when determination meets purpose, extraordinary things are possible. And when people come together, we can build a kinder, more humane world where no dog is left behind.

Each sterilisation achieved prevents countless future births, reduces suffering before it begins, protects vulnerable dogs, and strengthens communities for generations to come.

This marathon was more than a moment in time; its true legacy is not the distance run, but the lives changed because of it, as together we continue bringing dogs out of the darkness and into the light.