Paws Rescue Qatar is organising its first-ever triathlon, inviting athletes to compete in different swimming, cycling, running and crossfit categories.
The inaugural event, Pant for Paws 2016, will be championed and led by Live Life Crossfit and will be supported by a number of other crossfit boxes and gyms in Doha. A beach triathlon consisting of three stages over three hours duration will be competed in two categories, individual and pairs.
At the event, to be held on May 20 at Intercontinental Doha, all athletes will be split into three random groups and assigned a starting stage. They will be given 50 minutes to complete that stage where they will then all rotate to the next stage, whether they have successfully completed or not.
There are two rotations, thus giving all participants the opportunity to complete all stages. In Stage 1 which is Sea Swim, participants will have 50 minutes to complete as many rounds of the designated circuit as possible. For pairs, one athlete will swim while the other rests.
In Stage 2, Indoor Cycle, 50 minutes will be given to cycle the maximum distance. Each athlete rides max 2 minutes, before switching teammates. The total distance travelled will comprise their score. 
The Stage 3 features Beach CrossFit, where the participants will have 50 minutes to complete as many rounds as possible of designated CrossFit movements. The score will be total rounds and reps completed after 50 minutes.
Each athlete/pair will be given a score after completing each stage. The aim of the event is to raise funds for the Paws Rescue Qatar, which is in operation to rescue and re-home stray and abandoned dogs and cats.
Paws is a non-profit animal shelter dedicated to providing a safe haven to homeless animals until they can be placed in responsible, loving homes. They rely on fund-raisers, volunteers and donations to provide a safe home for all the animals at the shelter.
It was co-founded by Emily and Alison by fundraising for a couple of dogs that needed expensive medical treatment; and finding foster or forever homes for other stray dogs. As the number of rescues increased, they formed a committee with Caroline and Louis who had initially helped as volunteers but became more involved with the day-to-day running.
“We had the opportunity to develop our activity along with a private property owned by a Qatari dedicated to helping animals, and it has seen us build our organisation amongst the community whilst helping animals in need as much as possible,” says Paws Rescue Qatar.
They have dogs and cats of all ages, colours, shapes and sizes all with different personalities and temperaments, ready for adoption. Each animal is assessed to find out what they are like and what sort of home, lifestyle and environment would suit them best.
Each and every animal is considered individually and matched at point of interview with the most suitable owner.
People can also volunteer with them through different initiatives such as Lend a Paw, which is a programme that covers all actions and fundraising events organised/attended by volunteers. It encompasses everything — from being directly involved with animal care, exercising, grooming, socialising, or even fostering the animals. 
People can also take a dog for a walk, away from the kennel environment which is not only about giving dogs a physical workout, but also mental stimulation. In addition, a walk is a wonderful opportunity to monitor how a particular dog behaves on the leash and how he reacts when he meets other dogs and people.