Jimmy the Pug took the best dressed crown at this year’s Pugathon after parading as the Frog Prince and performing tricks on the red carpet!
He was among more than 200 dogs and some 350 people who turned out for the event at King George IV Park in Ramsgate last Sunday.
The day also included an array of stallholders, selling everything from raw dog food, handmade dog treats, speciality collars, tags and bandanas, bath bombs and bespoke gifts. Academy FM Thanet’s Dougie the dinosaur also went along!
Organiser Lucy Cook said: “The Pugathon was a great success for our fourth year running. The weather held out for us and it turned into a really lovely sunny day.
“We saw the return of our famous best dressed pug competition with our brand new red carpet runway – kindly donated by Oliver Carpets -and our brand new 1st 2nd and 3rd podium kindly made by Michael Morgan, and painted by Maxine Morgan. They also unleashed a ‘Maxine’s M& Ms’ which were several pugs with a coloured ‘M&M’ on their collars.
“Our fancy dress winner was a pug named Jimmy who dressed as a Frog prince and performed amazing tricks on the red carpet. He will be next years ‘cover’ pug and has won himself pug food and a photoshoot kindly donated by Mike Avery.
“We also had members from the Facebook group ‘Thanet Rock Hunters’ who came along with their beautifully painted rocks and had a running competition for the best painted Pug rock.”
The event raised more than £500 for Guardian Angels Dog Rescue to help their work tirelessly taking in abandoned dogs and paying for treatments, boarding and neutering.
Lucy added: “I would like to say thank you to everyone who donates to help get Pugathon off the ground.
“Each year it costs a lot to rent the park and pay for the insurance and raffles prizes so I am eternally grateful. I have great support from a few pugathon goers that always come along.
“I do this all to fundraise for the rescue for fun- and would love more volunteers to help out and more donations to make it worthwhile.”
Next year is the fifth birthday of the Pugathon and party hats and cake will feature. Lucy is hoping a sponsor will come forward and is also hoping to work closely with a business that would be happy to donate raffle prizes or items for the event.
Find the Pugathon facebook page and more of Emily’s photos here
Photos Emily Mayer