Adorable sausage dogs enjoyed a special birthday party on the beach at Southwold.
Sausage dogs enjoyed a special birthday party on the beach at Southwold.
Saturday's Southwold Sausage Walk event was arranged to mark the eighth birthday of organiser Laura Baggott's pet dog Percy - who was the inspiration for the regular canine meet-ups.
A highlight of the day came when the diminutive dogs tucked into a special birthday cake, baked by the appropriately-named Barking Bakery.
"I think we had over 300 sausage dogs, and some dachshund owners also brought along their other dogs," Laura said.
"The dogs loved it. Dachshunds love getting together with others from their breed."
The walk and party raised money for Dedicated to Dachshunds with IVDD (Intervertebral Disc Disease). Percy was diagnosed with the condition in June 2018 and required surgery - inspiring his owner to raise funds for other dogs.
Percy had to undergo rehabilitation involving physiotherapy and hydrotherapy, to relearn how to walk.
"He's doing really well at the moment," Laura said. "He's fine again and can go for short walks in his stroller, but once dogs have had IVDD it can always happen again, so I worry about it every day."
The weather was quite cold, but Laura said: "The dogs were fine - they wrapped up warm in scarfs and jumpers." Some also wore birthday coats for the occasion, as well as party hats.
Hundreds of dogs from a wide area regularly turn out for the events, also organised by Sarah Baggott and Stuart McBurney.
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There were boutique stalls, refreshments and even a DJ at today's event to help raise funds for pets in need.
A previous walk, in October, had to be called off after it was disrupted by heavy rain - but the dogs and their owners had a get-together on the pier instead, and reorganised their walk a few weeks later.
The events have proved so popular that they are now held every few months. So far, they have raised around £8,000 for dachshund charities.
The next event is planned on March 29, and on that occasion the funds raised will be shared between Dedicated to Dachshunds and the Red Foundation, a dachshund rescue charity.
For more information, search for Southwold Sausage Walk on Facebook.
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