A pug with a rainbow tail and a pit bull in a purple tutu were just a few of the sights at this year’s Indy Pet Pride at Riverside Park on Saturday, part of the weeklong Circle City IN Pride celebration.
H.R. Jung, festival director of Indy Pride events, says the event was originally inspired by New York’s Pet Pride. What started out as a small event in a parking lot a few years ago has grown into a full-on critter-palooza, with vendors, owner-pet lookalike competitions, and, of course, pets playing dress-up.
Let’s meet some of the them.
Randy Pate and his Great Pyrenees, Atlas. “I came out to bring my new pup, I just got him two weeks ago. He’s a drool box! He drools on everything. It’s part of the Great Pyrenees breed. It’s so funny driving down the road with the windows open, it’s like you’re getting a shower.”
Angie Allen and her Pit Bull Mix, Star. “I came here because she is a little bit dog-reactive. She’s a rescue, I’m her foster parent. I’m trying to have her watch and be around dogs to learn to not react. Star is real special to me because I rescued her, she’s a personal rescue. She was getting beat by a guy and I went over and offered him some money and bought her. So now, we’re trying to rehab her. She is going to be adoptable through Helping Paws.”
Kimberly Miller and her Pit Bull/American Staffordshire Mix, Gidget. “She’s my soul-dog. When I first got her, she had no clue how to love or cuddle. And now she’s a little cuddle-bug. She makes me hold her like a toddler when I get home–she’ll hold her paws up and make me pick her up.”
Lola Palooza, host of Pet Pride and member of the board of directors for Indy Pride. “What I like about Pet Pride is that we can get together in an atmosphere where we’re celebrating our pets, our best friends, the people who love us even when society is going crazy about us. And I also love any event where we can get together. It’s family-oriented, and it’s really about bringing people together, it’s not just about a big party.”
Scroll through the gallery for my Indy Pet Pride photos.
