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Dallas Road in Victoria was overrun with wagging tails this week as hundreds of dogs of every size and breed turned out for the return of Day of the Dog, a festival built entirely around celebrating four-legged companions. The event featured dog races, a swim zone, and plenty of space for owners and their pets to spend the day together outdoors.
Jordan Illingworth, co-founder of Day of the Dog, said the event grew out of a simple desire to bring dogs and their owners together in a city that already has a deep love for its canine residents. He described Victoria as an especially dog-loving place, and said the event was created as a way to celebrate how much dogs add to people’s lives.
What started in Victoria has since expanded well beyond the city. Day of the Dog now runs in Calgary, Vancouver, Santa Monica, San Diego, and Scottsdale, with organizers already planning to bring the event to New York City and Houston in 2027.
For the Victoria Humane Society, the festival has become one of its favorite fundraising days of the year. Penny Stone, founder of the organization, said the event gives the shelter a chance to sell off items it has collected throughout the year but isn’t currently using, from a dollar for outfits to a dollar for leashes and collars. Those small sales add up, she said, and go directly toward helping finance the organization’s work.
With crowds continuing to grow year over year and more cities added to the lineup, Day of the Dog has become as much a celebration of community as it is of dogs themselves, proving that a shared love of pets can turn into something much bigger.
Original story here.
