On Saturday May 15, the Los Altos Kiwanis Club held their 63rd annual Pet Parade down Main Street in Los Altos, California.
The Kiwanis Club International is a global organization of volunteers of every age who are dedicated to changing the world, one child and one community at a time.
The Los Altos Kiwanis Club has been organizing the Pet Parade since 1948. Every year this beloved community tradition attracts thousands of people, hundreds of families, and hundreds of dogs and various other pets to participate and watch.
Marching in the parade were all kinds of dogs, some wearing costumes, while others sported dresses, t-shirts, bandanas and even pink tutus. Puppies and small dogs traveled in wagons, and some even had miniature doggie floats to make a grand show during the march.
The Los Altos Kiwanis Club members contribute many hours of community service each year and raise funds to support their efforts through donations and their yearly Christmas Tree sales.
Each year they put on the Pet Parade to bring together families and children within the community. “Seeing the families together and enjoying the event is the best part of Pet Parade,” says Dr. Charmaine Tu, a Los Altos Kiwanis Club member, organizer and MC for the Pet Parade. She is also the owner of Guinness, a chocolate lab who is the official Mascot of the Los Altos Pet Parade.
Dogs, children and adults weren’t the only ones participating in the Pet Parade. There were horses, goats, chickens, guinea pigs, rabbits, cats, mice, hamsters, hermit crabs, lizards, bearded dragons, parrots, macaws, box turtles, worms, and even garden snails all marching in the parade. “Kids will bring any animal they can find just to participate,” says Dr. Tu who marveled at the boy with the snails. When asked what her favorite pet in the parade was she said “The dachshunds in the hot dog outfits! I look for them every year.”
For more information about the Los Altos Kiwanis Club or to become a member please visit www.losaltoskiwanis.org. To find a Kiwanis Club in your area please visit sites.kiwanis.org.
Meet Cream, a two year old, four pound Chihuahua who loves to wear pink. Cream is an independent girl who likes to explore and make new friends. She enjoys long naps, short walks, and any clothes that make her ears look big.
This protective breed is very territorial, proud, loyal, and adventurous. They love attention, but can become saucy and yappy if over coddled by their owners. Chihuahuas can be very ‘breedist’, preferring to stick with their own, while not getting along well non-Chihuahua dogs. They are intelligent, lively and strong willed, so exercise and plenty of training is recommended for this breed. 
Once upon a time in a land called L.A., there was a homeless, timid, young Chihuahua mix named Snowflake. Abandoned simply because his family didn’t care enough to pay $200 for an operation, Snowflake ended up at the Linda Blair WorldHeart Foundation, an organization dedicated to the rescue of abused and abandoned animals in the Los Angeles area. 
Steve is currently working on the new Disney XD show ‘I’m in the Band,’ where he has the luxury of having Ziggy accompany him on the production lot. “It’s great to work on one of the only lots in Hollywood that allows pets,” says Steve of the amazing pet friendly studio that even has a secure grass run where the dogs can stretch their legs.
Steve’s dressing room has been claimed by Ziggy, which is filled with his favorite toys and torn socks, but when locked inside he barks to be released. “He is surrounded by girls all day, and people argue about where he should be. Everyone in the crew and the offices want to play with him and hang out,” says Steve of the highly adored dog.
It’s a bird, it’s a plane, no – it’s Super Chi WOW WOW flying off shelves in pet boutiques across the globe. If you haven’t heard of the Chi WOW WOW brand then it’s time to catch up with the hottest trend in Doggie Fashion. 
The second addition to the Chi WOW WOW family was Izzy. Rescued as a young Chi, Carolyn had hoped Izzy would be the perfect model for a Chi WOW WOW girl’s line she named IZZY GALORE. However, Izzy was a total tomboy, “She doesn’t belong in dresses, she looks silly!” says Carolyn who first designed a mod bellbottomed bodysuit for Izzy that sold like crazy in Japan. Today Izzy only sports hoodies or tanks if it’s cold, and she absolutely hates it. “She would much rather that I owned and operated a chicken farm,” says Carolyn of her fashion resistant Chi. Izzy loves all toys and will play with them like mad, her favorite being a giant stuffed octopus. She is very gracious with company and will slip into the guest room for early morning greetings and snuggles before breakfast.
“I’m trying to put weight on him, but he fools around with the food, then Izzy moves in and eats all his food,” says Carolyn of her skinny Chi, “Django is getting skinnier while Izzy is getting fatter!”
With all of the success Chi WOW WOW has received since its launch in 2004, giving back has been a major factor for Carolyn, who started the Elvis Fund. “The Elvis fund has so much meaning because I don’t know how much longer Elvis is going to be around,” says Carolyn who gives a large portion of her profits to the Elvis Fund managed by the Pasadena Community Foundation. Every year Carolyn awards grants to organizations that educate the public on animal responsibility: “We have a lot of problems with homeless animals, it gets back to educating the public on spaying neutering and adopting versus purchasing.”
San Francisco is renowned for its culture, dining, architecture, cable cars, and now – Cheeko B Pet Boutique. Located near Union Square this boutique has been called the Crème de la Crème of doggie stores.
prevents people from allowing unleashed doggies to escape into the busy San Francisco streets. Cheeko loves to look out the window and greet visitors, barking a greeting at their arrival he confidently shows customers around the shop.
working dogs who help make San Francisco an even more wonderful place to visit and live. When walking through the city, Cheeko and Frankie enjoy promoting their store products. People go crazy when they see Cheeko and Frankie in their Frankie B Ties, it’s simply great advertising!
Brooke Shields said “People think of me as a mannequin, all show and no substance.” Like Brooke, the creators of BADSF Inc. felt people couldn’t see the essence of dog mannequins, so they created the world’s first designer Dog Mannequins that are all show and substance.
as Gap Kids, Baby Gap, and Gymboree. His parents began developing dog mannequins in the early 80’s as a decorative accent for department stores. Back then the department store mannequins wore stylish gowns and were posed walking their doggie mannequins in Saks Fifth Avenue.
BADSF Inc. quality Dog Mannequins include life sized Doberman Pinchers, German Shepherds, Greyhounds, Afghan Hounds, Whippets, French Bull Dogs, Scottish Terriers, Lhasa Apsos, Dachshunds, and Chihuahuas. They even have a giant Great Dane, which confounded the worlds tallest living dog, “Gibson was so skeptical of the dog mannequin because he couldn’t believe another dog was so big” says Nika of their Dog Mannequin who greeted Gibson at a trade show. BADSF Inc. is working on a Mixed breed collection of rescue dogs. Part of the proceeds from each mannequin sale goes to dog rescues such as 
are flexible and can be positioned to sit, beg, shake, look up or do most fun doggie moves. They can even be posed to play tug of war. The larger Dog Mannequins have limited flexibility but the head, tail, and ears can be positioned to give them a little doggie attitude!
Some people use them as decorations in their homes, and as figures to store their favorite dog clothing and jewelry. BADSF Inc. even offers pet memorial urns, supported by the 
at military trade shows.
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