By Adria L. Henderson

and Lisa Peterson

Parade spectators were treated to a large selection of purebred and mixed-breed dogs in this year’s edition of Newtown’s Labor Day parade. The Newtown Kennel, which promotes purebred dogs, and the Canine Advocates of Newtown, which promotes successful adoptions of rescue dogs, both showed up in force as first time entries.

One of the largest crowds ever had the opportunity to meet and greet the purebred dogs of the Newtown Kennel Club.

Some of the breeds represented included the Norweigian Elkhound, Afghan Hound, Golden Retreiver, Greyhound, Bouvier des Flanders, English Setter, Boxer, Bull Mastiff, American Staffordshire Terrier, Rhodesian Ridgeback, and Schipperke.

The Newtown Kennel Club has been promoting the advancement of purebred dogs of all breeds since 1947 offering yearly dogs shows and continual training classes for the community as well as breeder referrals.

Canine Advocates of Newtown, a non-profit group, seeks to protect, provide all inoculations, spaying and neutering, emergency medical care and assistance with the adoption of the dogs at the Newtown Pound. On a daily basis, CAN volunteers exercise all the dogs temporarily housed there and regularly hang posters around town of the dogs available for adoption.

This group had a wonderful float covered with photographs of the dogs that CAN has helped. Several of those adopted “pound dogs” walked with their proud owners in the parade.

Aside from the dogs there were many horses in the parade from the Newtown Bridle Lands Association, which promotes the creation and preservation of the trail system in town, and the Second Company Governor’s Horse Guard, stabled at Fairfield Hills.

It was great to see, and hear, the crowd’s positive reaction to all our animal parade marchers. A special thanks is due to all the handlers for their extremely well behaved dog and horse participants. These groups, which represent the diversity of animal lifestyles here in Newtown, made this the best Labor Day Parade ever!

Animal Lifestyles is contributed by Adria L. Henderson and Lisa Peterson, owners of Safe at Home, LLC, a Newtown-based pet sitting service. You can contact us by phone at 203-426-5784 or 426-4682; write to us at P.O. Box 427, Botsford, Ct, 06404; or email us at animallifestyles@usa.net. We welcome our reader’s response.