Doggie divas strut their stuff

Fashion models on four legs help raise money for animal shelter LAFAYETTE — Doggie Divas were out in full stride on Saturday at Lafayette Village in answer to a call for all canine models to meet at 10 a.m. to register for a chance walk the cat walk at a benefit fashion show. Those who passed the walking skills were in. They were invited to participate in the doggie modeling show, and very much like the real thing, those who made the cut were given the opportunity to show the world how good they looked in the latest fashions. For dogs that is. A full array of clothing and jewelry was modeled by all sizes and varieties of dogs. The event was a benefit for Father John's Animal House in Lafayette. Some of the fashions included spring sweaters for a walk in the park, winter coats for romping in the snow, rain coats for that wet weather that wreaks havoc with a dug's fur and life jackets for outings by the waterfront. Jewelry was also featured to add bling to a canine's collar and there were fancy leashes with matching purses for an owner to carry. Some of the dogs strutted their stuff while others were happy to stop and visit along the way with the audience. As the day warmed up, some of the dogs enjoyed a game of fetch in the community pen, which is fenced in for their free run safety. Prizes were given out to: The most recently adopted dog; the owner who had adopted the most rescue dogs; the dog/owner who traveled the farthest, ending with a raffle for a heart shaped bed in time for Valentine's Day and a 50/50. Sponsors for the event were K-Nine coaching, Fuzzy Nation, The Village Barkery, all located in Lafayette Village, Lafayette Village management and members of the local 4-H. All models were asked to donate $5 to participate and they received a free gift. — Story and photo by Gale Miko