5TH ANNUAL WORLD DOG DAY WITH VANDERPUMP DOGS

5th Annual World Dog Day 2021 with Vanderpump & Mimi Bear

With most of the social events being cancelled since COVID-19, it seemed only appropriate that the first social gathering we would attend, would involve dogs— many dogs; dogs of all different breeds, shapes and sizes.

The Fifth Annual World Dog Day celebration, organized by Vanderpump Dog Foundation, was held on August 7th at the West Hollywood Park, in Los Angeles, CA. On a hot summer day, excited dogs, and even more excited humans behind them, gathered around the pink tents, surrounding the park, full of dog food, clothes, and accessories. Everyone took turns posing for the pawpawrazi, on the pink carpet, where insta-famous dogs posed for the gram.

The outdoor event, co-sponsored by The City of West Hollywood, focused on the celebration of dogs and raising awareness about dog abuse domestically and globally. Over a thousand people, their dogs and 20+ pet-centered vendors were in attendance. Many celebrities attended as well, including Iggy Azalea, Lance Bass, Michael Turchin, Dr. Evan Antin, Kent Boyd, Emma Norton, Manolo Vergara, and Vanderpump Rules' Tom Schwartz, Tom Sandoval, Lala Kent, Randall Emmett, James Kennedy, and Raquel Leviss. And, some of the pawlebrities included Little Graham Cracker, Doodle named Newman, Izzy & Layla, Bronte, Little Skittle, Hank and Masha, and our Cover Girl, Mimi Bear.

The Dog Meat Festival in Yulin, China, begins on June 21 each year, where more than 10,000 dogs are captured, transported in cages, and killed for human consumption every year for this annual event. In addition, more than 10 million dogs are killed annually in China for the dog meat trade. This festival epitomizes the cruelty of the dog trade industry. Many of the dogs are stolen from their owners. Many die during transport to the slaughterhouse after days or weeks without food or water, and others suffer illness and injury during transport, such as broken bones. In 2016, the City of West Hollywood passed a resolution condemning the Dog Meat Festival in Yulin, China.

Lisa Vanderpump, the founder of The Vanderpump Dog Foundation, welcomed the attendees to the event, reflecting on The Foundation's work since its inception in 2016.

"The past year has been extremely difficult for everyone and keeping a Foundation alive throughout COVID-19 has had its unique challenges. However, we feel that 2020 brought a newfound love and understanding for our furry friends to many people, providing love and support through these difficult times. It is such an incredible feeling to be able to finally come together and celebrate these animals, in our first event in almost two years. Through the efforts of our Foundation, we have now rescued and re-homed over 2,300 dogs domestically." said Lisa Vanderpump.