Animals strut along Main Street to raise money for area animal groups during Parade of Pets

Miniature and full-sized horses, Rusty the Rockstar goat, a ferret and dozens of dogs strolled through downtown Cape Girardeau on Sunday afternoon for the second annual Mardi Paws Parade of Pets, sponsored by Mississippi Mutts.

More than $2,000 was raised by the event, which will go to local animal groups including Mac�s Mission, Safe Harbor Animal Sanctuary, the Greyhound Pets of America-Cape Girardeau chapter, the Humane Society of Southeast Missouri and EPIC Pals.

More than 150 owners tailed their furry friends from the parade�s start at the Hutson�s Fine Furniture parking lot, then continued along Main Street before concluding at Broadway with whipped-cream doggy cones provided by Sugar Chic Creamery.

After hearing about similar parades in St. Louis and New Orleans, Mississippi Mutts employee Barb Frolker said the local pet store wanted to host a similar event for local pet lovers.

Kristin Carlton with Rolling Hills Farm in Gordonville brought Coco and Chippy, two of their five miniature horses, to trot in the parade.

�[Miniature horses are] good for little kids, because then they�re more comfortable to pet a smaller horse than a bigger horse,� Carlton said. �We didn�t go to the first one, but we�d like to come back next year again. We�ve got more minis, but we were short on handlers today.�

Although the crowd of canines and other animals grew chaotic at times, Lt. Brad Smith with the Cape Girardeau Police Department and other officers remained on-site for the event to ensure things went smoothly.

�We wouldn�t be able to do this without Lt. Brad Smith and the Cape Girardeau Police Department,� Frolker said.

Following the parade, a reception with Cajun cuisine was held a block up the street at 232 Broadway, where trophies were awarded to pets with the best costumes.

Judges crowned Smokey, a rescued German shepherd owned by Bruce and Cindy Hanebrink, as this year�s king and Becky Speight�s dog Chloe as queen.

Julie Glaus� three-legged chocolate lab, Hazel, was one of three pets awarded the title of �Loyal Subject� in the parade. Glaus met Hazel at her veternarian�s office after Hazel was stuck by a car and found on the side of the road.

�They had to remove her leg and nobody came and claimed her, so I took her home,� Glaus said.

Although Hazel had one paw fewer than the other parade participants, Glaus said Hazel showed just as much endurance as the other animals.

�It was a great parade,� Glaus said. �I couldn�t believe how many dogs were here � it was almost overwhelming.�

bmatthews@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3652

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43 S. Main St., Cape Girardeau, Mo.

Main Street and Broadway, Cape Girardeau, Mo.