Pets' Parade

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22350, 22 February 1936, Page 30 (Supplement)

Pets' Parade

DEAR BOYS AND GIRLS,— IJOW I wished you had all been there last Saturday when the band * * began to play and the Pets' Parade started on the long march right round the ground at Carlaw Park! Such a perfect afternoon it was, sunshine, blue skies, and the lovely green trees of the Domain swaying in a light breeze. And the pets! All kinds of dogs, just as I told you there would be—but I quite overlooked the black-and-white . spotted dog, the tall, aristocratic Borzois with that aloof and slightly bored look borne by aristocrats when out of their right environment, and 1 never dreamed of such a dear old pet as the Genuine Old English Sheep Dog! In fact, I half.doubted my own eyes when I first saw him, and thought he was one of those wonderful made-up dogs you see in toy shops at Christmas time! His hair fell right over his eyes, and he looked as though he had been covered with a hairy rug that hung down to the ground. But he bore a neat little box on his back, and ever so many people slipped in a coin to help the Junior League of the S.P.C.A. in its good work.. Well, you will see above the photographs I promised you last week, the most attractive pet (our aristocratic Borzois), the most affectionate dogs—the judges couldn't really decide between the two, you see, so they made it a tie—and in addition you are given a glimpse of Lucille Payne's wonderful little dog Bonzo. Lucille brought Bonzo up to my office one day, and put him through his tricks in the corridor, and in a few moments he had an audience of sub-editors, reporters, printers, message boys, stenographers —in fact, every member of the staff who happened to be passing! Such a dear little dog he looked on Saturday, as white as a snowdrop, with a blue ribbon round his neck, and if you could only have seen the brave little thing leaping through the hoop of flame his mistress held for him! A lady sitting behind me did not like this turn at all, and exclaimed that it was very cruel, but Bonzo never turned a hair, and, when one realises how Lucille loves her clever little pet, there could be no suggestion of his naving been taught to do this trick by any method save patient and humane training. The tiny dog-cart was a great attraction in the Pets' Parade, and the audience cheered loudly as Pinkie goose-stepped proudly past the grandstand, with her little straw bonnet at a most rakish angle! I could tell you lots more about the other clever doggies, Jack and Jill, Nicola Hue, the little tortoise which one boy carried, and the two black kittens in a hat, but there is no room for more, so I will just say, join up with the Junior League yourselves—if you write to Norah, S.P.C.A., Auckland, she t^o^ will tell you what to do—and *** then next time there is a Pets' // Parade perhaps you will be ' a able to take part in it yourself. Love to all animal-lovers and their pets from the friend of all,