The Bay Horse has once again welcomed four-legged friends and their owners for its annual Doggie Day, raising more than £200 for the RSPCA for the third consecutive year, writes Yvonne Hawkey.
The popular community event brought together local dog lovers for a day packed with woof-tastic fun, including a range of entertaining dog show classes, an agility course, raffle prizes and plenty of opportunities for owners and their pets to enjoy themselves.
The event is part of the Bay Horse’s ongoing commitment to supporting good causes, with landlady Zara Lawlor continuing to work tirelessly throughout the year to raise money and awareness for charities and community initiatives.
This year’s Doggie Day saw dogs compete for a host of fun titles, with plenty of wagging tails and friendly competition along the way.
Prize winners included Luca, who took home Waggiest Tail and Best Catcher; Duke, who won Best Oldie and Most Handsome; Cassie, who was crowned Cutest Little Dog and Scruffiest; Peppa, who won Prettiest Bitch and Best Rescue; Molly, who took Best Tricks and Loudest Bark; Coco, who was named Best Puppy; and Dixie, who won Best on the Agility Course.
Speaking about the event, Zara said: “The RSPCA continue to do such incredible work, and it’s an honour to support them. I’m proud that, for the third year running, we’ve raised over £200 at our Doggie Day.
“A huge thank you to everyone who attended and donated, to the Auckland Project for letting us use their car park for the agility course, and to Judith Southwaite for making all the tombola packages. It was such a fun day full of our favourite four-legged friends!”
While Doggie Day has become an annual highlight at the Bay Horse, it is just one of many fundraising initiatives supported by Zara throughout the year. A passionate supporter of local causes, Zara regularly turns the pub into a hub for the community, helping to raise both money and awareness for charities close to people’s hearts.
Most recently, Zara and her team supported the Chloe Cup charity football match, held in aid of Young Lives vs Cancer, by taking part in the match and hosting a karaoke/prize raffle night at the Bay Horse to help boost the fundraising total.
Zara’s continued commitment to supporting good causes has helped establish the Bay Horse as much more than just a place to enjoy a drink. It is a true community pub, bringing local people together to have fun, support one another and, importantly, make a difference to charities and causes that matter.
Yvonne Hawkey
Bishop Auckland's local community newspaper.
