The La Jolla Pet Parade and Festival, reintroduced last year after a 71-year gap, will return for its second modern stroll on Sunday, May 23 as La Jolla celebrates its love of animals in a surf-themed festival. This year’s parade, organized by the Spay & Neuter Action Project (SNAP) and a volunteer committee of La Jolla business people led by Nancy Warwick of Warwick’s and Janet McCulley of Muttropolis, will benefit SNAP’s Circle for Life. “There are three elements that save companion animals’ lives: humane education, affordable spay and neuter services, and rescuing animals out of public shelters that would otherwise be euthanized,” said La Jolla resident Candy Schumann, co-founder of SNAP and the organization’s volunteer executive director. Last year’s inaugural parade kicked off SNAP’s on-going $2 million fundraising campaign to build San Diego’s first high-volume, low-cost spay and neuter clinic designed to address the region’s chronic pet overpopulation crisis, as well as provide subsidized veterinary services for low-income families. The festival will start with pet parade registrations, vendor booth sales and pet adoptions at 10 a.m. and continue with “Doga Yoga” from 10 to 10:30 a.m. The parade departs from the Festival Lot at the corner of Silverado and Herschel at 11:15 a.m. and winds through La Jolla streets before returning to its starting point. The full parade route is available online at www.lajollapetparade.com/route-info. Leading the parade will be Celebrity Grand Marshall Scott “Channy” Chandler, an internationally-ranked professional big wave surfer, who will bring his daughter, Tyler, and champion surf dog, Zoey, who together won last year’s Loew’s Surf Dog competition. Other Surf Dog winners will participate in the parade, including Dozer, the bulldog on the 2010 parade poster painted by Ronda Ahrens. Pet contests will begin about noon after the parade’s conclusion at the Festival Lot. The “What’s That Mutt?” competition will challenge everyone to guess the origins of a well-mixed pooch. Six other contests will determine the cutest canine, most unique pet, dog who most looks like its owner, best dressed surfer dude doggy, best dressed surf diva dog and best pet trick. Vendor sales of pet products and services and adoptions will continue until festival wrap-up about 2 p.m. Parade participants are encouraged to pick up registration forms at Ark Antiques, Muttropolis, Warwick’s, La Jolla Brewhouse or La Jolla Village Lodge, or register online at the festival website www.lajollapetparade.com, which offers latest updates. A VIP (Very Important Pet) registration package, including a goodie bag and prime parade position, is $45, while a standard entry fee, including parade and contests entries, is $25 per pet. The parade is open to all well-behaved restrained pets, including ponies, cats, bunnies and small animals. All event proceeds benefit SNAP’s Circle for Life.
