Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Dog lovers gather for annual pug picnic

Pug-O-Rama Picnic

Jummel Hidrosollo / Special to the Home News

Anya Sanko, left, shows of her dog, Alpha, who won first prize in the longest tongue contest. Grant Hodson, right, holds his dog, Shyra, who placed second at the seventh annual Pug-O-Rama Picnic at Hills Park in Summerlin.

Pug-O-Rama Picnic

Chemish Fisher and Jennifer Smith play with Casey, dressed as a pig for the costume contest, during the seventh annual Pug-O-Rama Picnic at Hills Park in Summerlin. Launch slideshow »

The Hills Park in Summerlin was overrun with more than 400 pugs Sunday during the seventh Annual Pug-O-Rama Picnic, sponsored by the Southern Nevada Pug Rescue group.

Many of the pugs, however, weren't just ordinary pugs. Dressed up for the picnic's Halloween costume contest, there were Bonnie and Clyde pugs, surfer pugs and Red Sox fan pugs.

The first place winner of the individual pug contest outdid the rest dressed as Santa Claus with his red suit, beard and glasses and by sitting on a miniature sleigh, complete with reindeer and toys. The owner of the Santa pug, Kim Uptain, was also dressed up as a reindeer to compliment her pug's outfit.

Uptain said her pug, Frisky, is getting old at 12 and will probably not participate in another costume contest.

"This will be the last one, so I wanted to go out with a bang," she said. "Frisky was my mom's pug, and was given to me when she passed away, so he's real special to me."

With so many pug owners bringing their dogs to the event, it was apparent that the pugs are special to their owners. Wearing a button on her shirt that read "My Pug for President. In dog we trust," rescue group President Jennifer Mauceri said she couldn't really explain why pug owners love their dogs so much.

"It's an obsession," she said. "My first pug was my soulmate. My husband and kids even know that."

Mauceri described the breed as "little Tonka trucks" and said it is a social breed that is great with children, though the dogs can be head-strong at times.

The pug community stays close-knit because of the number of adoptions the rescue group does a year. Once a pug is adopted, the rescue group follows up with the owners on a monthly basis. After being in the community for 11 years, the group has built up quite a community.

The event promoted awareness about the rescue group and raised money for the rescued pugs' veterinary bills. Usually the bills can be around $25,000 to $30,000 a year. Because of the mortgage crisis, the group is rescuing more pugs than usual and has rescued about 90 so far this year, as compared to 72 in all of last year. The group also finds foster parents for the pugs as a temporary solution until they can be adopted.

Liana Miller stood with Pork Chop, a pug she recently decided to be a foster parent for.

"The first time he snorted at me, I fell in love with him," she said. "They are loyal, sweet, mellow, happy dogs."

Jenny Davis can be reached at 990-8921 or [email protected].

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