Doggie Fun Sunday passed off successfully yesterday, with pooch enthusiasts gathering from across Broughton and the wider world to raise funds for the charity Canine Partners.
Twitter sceptics – concerned, it seems, at the combination of dogging and forecast unsettled weather – had doubted on Friday if the event would take place.
But locals are made of sterner stuff. In sunshine and showers, a good crowd showed up at Queen Street Gardens to participate in competitions including Catch the Biscuit (not as easy as it sounds wearing a lead, with a hundred distracting bottoms to smell in the vicinity), and Dog Most Like its Owner.
The latter event stirred unexpected controversy. Certain canny canine owners (see photos right and below) had deliberately dressed or made themselves up like their dogs in a bid to win prizes ... and were successful.
[img_assist|nid=2134|title=|desc=|link=node|align=right|width=165|height=200]What next? Dogs and owners wearing matching pinstripes like Gilbert and George? Or – God forbid – owners and dogs with identical Mohicans and lurid shell-suits like Jedward?
Canine Partners is a really worthy cause which well deserves Broughton's support. The charity trains and places dogs to perform a multitude of tasks for humans who – for whatever reason – cannot manage them for themselves: switching on lights, unloading washing machines, picking up dropped items, opening and closing doors, finding telephones, taking off socks and coats, urinating on lampposts. The dogs make a huge, practical contribution to people's quality of life, as well as offering love and companionship.
Spurtle urges readers to attend in even greater numbers next year. Doggie Fun Sunday is a delightfully loopy and shambolic occasion in a beautiful spot among good company with every chance of winning excellent prizes in the tombola.
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