Throughout April and May, countless amazing dogs and their humans from around the world stepped up to walk for the wild—raising over $17,500 in support of anti-poaching K9 units protecting endangered wildlife in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. From beloved family pets to working conservation dogs on the frontlines, this global campaign united supporters in a shared mission to protect rhinos and other threatened species. Read more in our blog post below!

*Chief, Mafu, and Captain…3 of the hardworking K9 dogs that make up the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park K9 Unit.*

From suburban neighborhoods in the United States to the wild landscapes of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, dogs and their humans came together this April and May to walk for the wild.

Through Wild Tomorrow’s Paws Against Poaching virtual dog walking campaign, supporters from around the world laced up their walking shoes and clipped on their leads with their four-legged companions, all to raise awareness and critical funding for anti-poaching K9 units protecting endangered wildlife in South Africa. Together, this incredible community raised $17,740 in support of the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park K9 Unit and the Project Rhino K9 Unit in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

From pampered pups like Bella and Waffles in the United States to the brave working dogs like Chief and Captain on the front lines in South Africa, every dog involved in this campaign played a role in protecting wildlife. Special Paws Against Poaching bandanas made their way across oceans – proudly worn by supporters’ beloved pets as well as the remarkable K9 dogs actively serving in anti-poaching units throughout KwaZulu-Natal.

South Africa is home to the world’s largest rhino population, yet it remains a major target for wildlife crime syndicates and poachers. Demand for rhino horn persists in parts of Asia despite the fact that rhino horn is made of keratin - the substance found in human fingernails. According to the Global Conservation Corps, 352 rhinos were poached in South Africa in 2025. While this represented a decrease from the previous year, nearly half of those losses occurred within KwaZulu-Natal, underscoring the ongoing urgency of anti-poaching efforts in the region.

*Rhino poaching statistics up to 2025, credit to Global Conservation Force:* *https://globalconservationforce.org/2025-rhino-poaching-numbers-south-africa-progress-pressure-points-and-the-path-forward/*

This is where anti-poaching K9s come in. These extraordinary dogs possess a sense of smell between 10,000 and 100,000 times more powerful than a human’s, with up to 300 million olfactory receptors. They can track a scent trail many hours old (sometimes up to 16 hours!), locate hidden firearms and ammunition, detect wildlife products, and pursue suspects across difficult terrain. Alongside their dedicated handlers, these dogs work tirelessly on the front lines to protect endangered species and preserve South Africa’s wildlife for future generations.

*A dog’s sense of smell is between 10,000 and 100,000 times more powerful than that of a human’s.*

Wild Tomorrow is proud to support anti-poaching K9 initiatives in KwaZulu-Natal through equipment, operational support, and awareness campaigns (like Paws Against Poaching!). This year, Wild Tomorrow also committed to supporting the expanding Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park K9 Unit – helping ensure these highly trained dogs and their handlers have the resources they need to continue their critical work.

In addition to fundraising, the campaign also inspired direct support for the dogs themselves. A recent group of Conservation Experience volunteers generously donated high-quality leashes and camo harnesses for the K9 units. These supplies will assist handlers and improve working conditions for the dogs actively deployed in the field.

*One of our April Conservation Experience Volunteers, Debra, helping fit a new harness and lead for one of the K9 dogs.*

Our “TOP DOG” prize for top fundraiser goes to Brody, the corgi of Wild Tomorrow’s Development and Partner Relations Manager, Tori Gray, who helped raise an incredible $2,350 for anti-poaching K9s.

Our “BEST IN SHOW” award for best profile picture goes to Olivia, the pup of Wild Tomorrow Ambassador Michi—what an absolute showstopper!

And finally, the “MOST POPULAR DOG” award for receiving the most individual donations goes to Winnie, the adorable cavapoo of Alexy Gamboa Dwerryhouse, with an impressive 23 supporters contributing to her campaign.

Most importantly, every single participant made a difference. Every walk taken, every donation made, every photo shared, and every conversation started helped raise awareness for the brave K9s and handlers protecting wildlife in South Africa.

To every participant – human and canine alike – thank you for walking for the wild. Your support helps keep anti-poaching K9s equipped, operational, and ready to protect threatened species across KwaZulu-Natal.

A special thank you to our Top Dog sponsor, HomeVets, for supporting our very first Paws Against Poaching campaign! We’re also incredibly grateful to Wagwear and BarkBox for donating amazing prizes to our lucky winners. Thank you all for your partnership and support in helping us make this campaign such a success!

Together, we are helping ensure a wild tomorrow.

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OUR FIRST EVER PAWS AGAINST POACHING CAMPAIGN

OF COURSE, NO DOG WALKING CAMPAIGN WOULD BE COMPLETE WITHOUT A LITTLE FRIENDLY COMPETITION!