By Isle of Wight Observer
The Great Isle of Wight Dog Walk held on Sunday, April 27, has been officially declared a howling success by two Island charities.
RSPCA IW and Friends of the Animas (FOTA) teamed up with the IW Steam Railway, at Havenstreet, who offered their venue to put on a day dedicated to dogs and their owners.
The morning walk, organised by the RSPCA, involved a ride on a vintage steam train to the start of a dog-friendly, 3-mile walk back to Havenstreet in spring sunshine. The afternoon hike was a circular five miles from Havenstreet.
More than 100 dogs and 300 people joined in, including the Island’s newly-appointed High Sheriff, Jacque Gazzard, who officially started the walk with her dog by her side. She said: “Humphrey, my cockapoo, was beside himself and I loved meeting those who joined in, whether on two legs or four!”
Meanwhile, back at Havenstreet, FOTA organised a Fun Dog Show with classes including ‘Prettiest Bitch’, ‘Most Handsome Dog’, ‘Waggiest Tail’ and ‘Best Six Legs’.
There was a variety of stalls to browse, including Happy Hound Artisan Bakery, Country Canines and Track a Dog. Generously, some stallholders donated their entire takings from the day to the charity.
A spokesman said: “We had a great day in the sunshine and enjoyed meeting all the owners and their dogs, including many who had adopted their canine companions from us. The dog show was fun, but it was very hard choosing the winners from so many lovely dogs.”
RSPCA branch director, Steve Backhouse, said: “We raised more than £3,000, which is a fantastic result. As a small, independent and local charity we must fund-raise for everything we spend here at the branch and are always looking for new, fresh ideas to raise money. And of course, this wasn’t just a fund-raiser — it was a celebration of the bond we share with our pets and the strength of our Island community.”
With the success of this year’s event, plans are already underway to make the Great Isle of Wight Dog Walk an annual tradition. Keep an eye on the website for more details at iw.observer/rspca-events.
