If you spotted a three-metre Viking boat on Margate beach last Thursday (May 21) with a dog’s head at the bow and a tail at the stern, then you witnessed a ceremonial send-off for dog chew toys that have been loved, chewed, and destroyed in the line of duty.
Edgard & Cooper, the European natural pet food brand, staged the bonkers event with the boat carrying the fallen toys of dogs across the country—each one submitted by its owner as part of a nomination campaign ahead of the event.
According to the (very official, and definitely not human-made) Pet Holiday Calendar, Chew Toy Remembrance Day is a day dedicated to honouring the toys that served their dogs faithfully and recognising the bond between dogs and the people who love them.
Edgard & Cooper decided the only appropriate response was a full Viking ceremony on Margate beach.
And because every good Viking story has a circle of life, the journey doesn’t end there. In the spirit of the Norse belief that what is honoured passes on to be reborn, new chew toys will be donated to a shelter partner in Southern England—because every dog deserves something worth enjoying, or destroying, whatever they see fit.
I hope the used toys weren’t set alight or sent out to sea? I feel like the end of the article is missing details about what happened to the used toys and the boat. Am I taking the viking burial publicity stunt too literally, and they were just binned?!