By Erica Rivera
When most dog lovers past a certain age think about planning a birthday celebration, they anticipate a few close friends and family members, dinner at a favorite restaurant, and a simple pastry to share. But one man from San Jose let his 100th birthday go to the dogs, with a dog parade featuring around 200 canine celebrants.
Dr. Robert Moore turned 100 recently. In anticipation of his milestone birthday, his family took to Nextdoor, a neighborhood app, and asked residents to participate in a unique celebration. They requested that neighbors dress up their dogs and proceed past Robert’s home in a canine parade.
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According to NBC Bay Area, family member Alison Moore expected 20 to 30 dogs would partake. Imagine her surprise when almost 10 times that many pups appeared in a procession to wish Robert a happy birthday. The fur babies arrived in all sorts of costumes, from tuxedos to cowboy hats. There were pups riding in classic cars, as well as dogs with disabilities pulling carts.
Robert, a longtime dog lover, was ecstatic at the turnout.
“My father, he was so touched. He pet every single dog that came through. Every person brought the dog up to him. It was so lovely,” Alison said.
But the dog parade was just the icing on the cake. Guests also gifted Robert literal cupcakes, flowers, posters, and drawings.
That is one doggone good birthday! Now the question is: how will he top it when he turns 101?
Thinking about hosting your own dog parade? By all means, please do! But make sure you keep parade safety top of mind. With a few proactive safety steps, you can ensure both humans and their fur babies have a blast while staying out of harm’s way.
When participating in a parade with your pup, keep an eye on their behavior. They may be strutting their stuff with confidence, but they still need to be on a leash and wearing a collar with up-to-date ID tags. Be mindful of any obstacles along the parade route and watch out for those rowdy crowds. Above all, don’t forget to pack plenty of water for your pooch to stay hydrated. Hit the pavement and have fun, but make sure the event is pawsitively safe for everyone involved!
Erica Rivera’s freelance writing has appeared in New York magazine, USA Today, the Star Tribune, City Pages, and many other publications and anthologies. She has interviewed hundreds of artists, authors, entrepreneurs, entertainers, and changemakers over the course of her career. She is also the author of Insatiable (Penguin Group, 2009) and Come Again (Thought Catalog Books, 2015). For more, visit: www.ericarivera.net.
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