Hundreds turn out for annual pet parade at Gillette Park in Sayville
Hailey Lap, 11, of Sayville, hugs her 1-year-old Boston terrier, Chloe, at the 41st annual pet parade hosted by the Rotary Club of Sayville. (July 14, 2012) Credit: Ursula Moore
Katie Post adopted her 7-year-old Havanese from Yorkie 911 Rescue last year.
Angie was rescued from a puppy mill in Ohio.
“When I first saw Angie, she was underweight, very tired and didn’t socialize well with others,” said Post, 12, of Sayville. “She had been living in a cage.”
But what a difference a year makes.
On Saturday, Angie won a trophy for the most feminine dog at the 41st annual pet parade hosted by the Rotary Club of Sayville. Hundreds of animal lovers and their pets turned out for the parade that stretched along Main Street and Candee Avenue ending at Gillette Park.
Riverhead resident Jerry Bilinski brought his two dogs – 13-year-old cockapoo, Ozzie, and 2-year-old Maltese Yorkie, Lucy.
They won trophies for the most politically active dogs. Ozzie wore a shirt that read “Dogs against Romney” while Lucy wore “Dogs for Obama 2012.”
Rotary Club of Sayville board member Linda Stein was thrilled about the community coming together.
“I have a Weimaraner and a cat. I love animals,” she said. “I know how important pets are to families, they are members of the family.”
Pet parade grand marshal and Rotary Club board member Amy Hutchison agreed.
“The pet parade is a fabulous way to show off your pets and it’s a nice way for the Rotary to give back to the community,” she said. “The event is free and we welcome all types of animals.”
Dressed as Cruella de Vil, the iconic villain of the novel "The Hundred and One Dalmatians" and the Disney movies, Pamela Raymond has been walking in the parade for the past 15 years and admitted that while her attire was a little hot for July, she took it all in stride.
“It’s the price I have to pay for beauty. This is a wonderful event,” said Raymond, 69, of Sayville. “I love watching everyone come together showing the love for their animals.”
Pictured above: Hailey Lap, 11, of Sayville, hugs her 1-year-old Boston terrier, Chloe, at the 41st annual pet parade hosted by the Rotary Club of Sayville. (July 14, 2012)
