Dressed-up dogs and a massive black-and-white Great Dane were what passerbys saw last Saturday at Majestic Park in Gardiner for the first annual Pups on Parade.

Hot Toddie, celebrity and Gardiner’s supermodel Great Dane, led the parade of well-mannered dogs for six blocks around the local area. The event aimed to raise money for local animal rescue group Bleu’s K9 rescue and Gardiner’s newsletter publication, the Gardiner Gazette.

The event began at 9 a.m. with a few vendors, food truck, blow-up castle and a photo booth. Some businesses in attendance were Belle’s Bakery, an all natural dog bakery, and Uptown Attic, a consignment shop.

There was also a silent auction and large raffle, which included red raffle tickets for spa and other types of services, and blue raffle tickets for dog baskets and other donated dog items. Attendees could also scan a QR code to bid on certain items. All proceeds would be split between Bleu’s K9 and the Gardiner Gazette.

Diana Algarin, Bleu’s K9 Rescue founder and president, gave a little background on her non- profit organization.

“I bring my dog Bleu into schools and we educate on dog bite prevention. [We do this for] kids, schools, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts and summer camps. Also, Bleu is an ambassador for the pitbull breed. Every dog that comes into the rescue in our foster program, I use Bleu as a dog tester,” Algarin stated.

Bleu’s K9 is always looking for foster homes since they don’t have a facility. They also educate people on canine enrichment, showing people that you don’t adopt a dog to leave it at home.

Algarin, who considers her organization family-oriented, mentioned the success of the event.

“I think it’s going pretty good. It’s the first one ever so I think it’s a pretty good success so far,” Algarin said.

Executive Director for the Gardiner Gazette Lillian Thiemann carried around her furry friend, Skipper, while raving about the experience.

“Raising money for Bleu’s K9 rescue and the Gardiner Gazette? It is the best time,” Thiemann mentioned.

The parade took off around 11 a.m., and whether they were walking or pushed in a stroller, dogs paraded the streets with their owners by their side.

The Silent Auction and donations will remain open until noon this Saturday, June 10. They can be made at givebutter.com.