Beach goes to the dogs in Peachland’s first pet parade
There were big dogs, little dogs, quiet dogs and yappy dogs at a first-ever pet parade in Peachland on Saturday.
Expectations were modest for the just-for-fun parade along Beach Avenue, organized by the Peachland Ambassador Society.
“At 10 o’clock, one person showed up, and I thought, ‘Well, at least somebody came out,’” society spokesperson Leann Sarsons said Sunday.
By the time the group set off, however, there were more than 80 dogs, many dressed up in St. Patrick’s Day green outfits, leading their owners in a colourful yet peaceable spectacle.
“Amazingly enough, there were no dogfights,” Sarsons said. “Actually, one of my dogs, a Corgi named Stella decided to growl a little at a big Irish Wolfhound. And I thought, ‘Come on Stella, really? We’re the the organizers, for heaven's sake.’”
Pet parades used to be a big summertime feature of the Kelowna Regatta, with hundreds of kids leading dogs and other creatures on a marchabout in Gyro Park.
“All birds and cats must be in cages or boxes with slatted sides. All dogs must be on leash, and puppies may be in cages. Goats and lambs must be on leash. Chickens, rabbits and ponies may also be entered,” were the rules for the 1956 Kelowna Pet Parade, which drew more than 200 animals.
Occasionally, mayhem broke out, as evidenced by this Daily Courier headline from 1957: “Dogs chase cats as pet parade turns chaotic.”
Another pet parade report described how “cats tried to eat the budgies.”
This weekend’s pet parade in Peachland was designed to draw a little attention to the 70-year-old Ambassadorial Society, which for the first time is having difficulty drawing enough teenage contests.
Competitors must be aged 14-17, and interested in serving and representing their community. See the group’s Facebook page for more information.