While many of us spent the morning of St. Patrick’s Day looking for that perfect green outfit to wear, three PETA staffers and three PETA supporters laced up their shoes for animals to take on the New York City Half Marathon. Christine, Sean, Catie, Maria, Chris, and Emily all chose a mission close to their heart—from funding PETA’s unstoppable Community Animal Project to helping end the deadly Iditarod. Collectively, they hauled in more than $9,500!

“That was such a great experience! The run was amazing, and I loved repping PETA the entire time,” Maria shared. “I also spotted another PETA packer when I was watching people finish, so it was fun cheering her on and knowing that there were others out there running for animals. I would love to get a group of us to run a race together, like an actual pack!”

“I had a spectacular time! It was such a fun race, and I’m SO grateful to have been given the opportunity to run it,” Emily said. “The whole experience was so memorable. Highlights were running over the Manhattan Bridge and through a shut-down Times Square. It was invigorating and motivating to be part of a team running for animals in a sea of 27,000 runners. I would definitely do this again!”

Want to get involved with the PETA Pack? Whether you’re interested in running marathons or walking your dog companion with a purpose, there’s a place for you in the pack!