“Laissez les bon temps rouler!” or in this case, “Let Bow-Wow roll around!” Mardi Gras may be just around the corner, but don’t tell it to these dogs. They’re too busy partying it up Wednesday.
The Helen Woodward Animal Center hosted the third annual Doggie Gras Parade and Fat Cat Tuesday on Wednesday with the help of students from La Jolla Country Day School‘s Classroom Without Walls programs. The center was transformed into “Cat-on Rouge,” a play on words on Louisiana’s capital.
Here, though, the Mardi Gras celebrations were decidedly more pet-friendly with its own Doggie Gras Parade. Man’s best friends were dressed in Mardi Gras costumes, riding in floats decorated by the students, and featuring the Center’s education sheep, mini horse and Flemish giant rabbit — even an alpaca got into the fun.
Attendees had a good time sipping on “Purr-icanes,” snacking on Bark-King Cake and partaking in a host of activities. Mardi Gras has truly gone to the dogs.
While fun was had by all, the event was meant to highlight orphan pets available for adoption at the Center. The Center provides services for more than 57,000 people and thousands of animals annually through adoptions, educational and therapeutic programs both onsite and throughout the community.