For three hours on Saturday morning, the 2.6 mile stretch of road near the Alamo Heights Swimming Pool was taken over by dog-lovers and their furry friends for Fiesta San Antonio’s Pooch Parade.
Hosted by Therapy Animals of San Antonio, a local nonprofit that brings “people and animals together for healing,” the event has grown increasingly popular over the years and routinely brings hundreds of participants to march alongside their pets down the tree-lined Alamo Heights streets. This year brought nearly 1,000 people. Some diehard Pooch Paraders arrive early to compete in the Canine Costume Contest, while others come to browse the dozens of exhibits and presentations available throughout the area.
Large and small, furry and fluffy canines – including chihuahuas, labradors, poodles, pugs, and greyhounds among other breeds – strutted down the roadway as neighbors and onlookers watched the show from their front porches. The dog costumes, perhaps one of the most fun aspects of the parade, included peacocks, superheroes, and royalty from Fiesta.
While the Pooch Parade is a step away from the typical, wild Fiesta-like atmosphere found at events like NIOSA, its popularity definitely portrays San Antonio’s love and dedication to our beloved, four-legged pets.
Top image: Princess poses for the camera. Photo by Kathryn Boyd-Batstone
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