4th of July goes to the dogs

LYNN ?The parade participants wore patriotic regalia, strutted proudly and stopped rather frequently to sniff at the 11th Annual Fourth of July Pet Parade Thursday on Grant Road.”They have prizes, dogs come together, there’s coffee and donuts, and people share their dog stories; it’s just a nice event,” said parade organizer Pat Hanson Thursday.This was the 11th year that Hanson and her husband, Bob, have hosted the parade, which begins outside the family’s Grant Road home. Or begins, as the flyer says “at Magic’s (the black Lab’s) house.” Human participants make donations to the Northeast Animal Shelter in Salem. Local individuals and businesses donate pet-themed prizes that are awarded in a raffle to the canine (although Hanson said a cat participated one year) participants.{{tncms-asset app=”editorial” id=”c39e6ab4-e5a5-11e2-bb77-001a4bcf887a”}}Pat Hanson said she was inspired to do the parade after attending a dog event on Boston Common more than a decade ago. But she decided to go a little smaller scale, she said, nixing the doggie beauty pageant that had headlined the Boston event.Not that the dogs Thursday weren’t looking their finest.Red-white-and-blue kerchiefs decorated several of the dogs’ collars. Toy Yorkshire terrier Mini, 3, was one of several channeling Uncle Sam in a stars-and-stripes festooned top hat.Yellow Labrador retriever Cooper, 9, wore a bunting as a skirt.”He’s already complained to me,” Cooper’s owner Michael McDermott said.Shih tzu Emily, 10, had her fur dyed blue to participate in the parade.”She loves being colorful,” said Emily’s owner, Sue Mah. “Everybody gives her all kinds of attention for it.”The approximately 25 dogs were anxious to em-“bark” Thursday – leaving a little before their scheduled 10 a.m. start time. The formation somewhat disintegrated, however, as water bowls set out by neighbors required sampling and trees had to be sniffed. And humans certainly aren’t the only animals who line up to go to the bathroom.The heat caused more panting than any other vocalizations on the canines’ part, although a few friends – human and canine – called out in greeting as the parade passed through the neighborhood.And all participants seemed to appreciate the refreshments – water and dog biscuits and coffee and donuts, for each respective animal – outside the Hanson’s home at the end of the parade.{{tncms-asset app=”editorial” id=”321b900e-e5a4-11e2-8e2c-001a4bcf887a”}}Then began what Pat Hanson said was one of the highlights of the event: the stories.Trish Irgens said she was very proud of pit bull Taylor, 8, for leading the parade despite being able to walk on only three legs. Irgens said Taylor was beaten as a puppy and Irgens’ daughter-in-law rescued Taylor. The family cared for the dog through four surgeries, including brain surgery, Irgins said. Irgens said this was Taylor’s 5th year in the parade.Pat Hanson said the event is not just for the dogs, however. She said it’s also an opportunity for dog owners and neighbors to connect.”A lot of the same people come year after year and bring new friends,” she said, noting her friends and colleagues from Gloucester and Salem have attended. “We share stories, different losses [of pets] and then they get the new dog and bring them.”