The English bulldog Peyton was dressed appropriately.
The English bulldog Peyton was dressed appropriately.
Decked out in a blue shark costume, the pooch plunged into the waters of Kamakahonu Beach in Kailua Village to cool off before the costume contests at the Howl’ween Walk in Kailua Village.
Scores of people dressed up their dogs and put on costumes of their own on Saturday morning to raise money for the Hawaii Island Humane Society. The annual event, with prizes, team challenges and dog-product booths, showcased many dogs who are getting a second lease on life.
The walk has been held for well over a decade, growing in popularity along the way. But this is the first time it has been located at the Honu Lawn of King Kamehameha’s Kona Beach Hotel, and both the dogs and their bizarrely-clad owners were grateful for the shade the grounds provided.
Plus, the central location helped draw attention to the event and the plight of the island’s abandoned and abused pets, participants said.
“I had six people ask me coming down here, what’s up with all the dressed up dogs,” said Kailua-Kona resident Molly Palmer, who is Peyton’s owner.
The Howl’ween Walk has become a tradition for Kal Yackley and her dogs, both of whom are seeing better days in her care after troubled times earlier in their lives.
Yackley’s theme this year was the Little Mermaid, complete with a wagon, gilded tridents and a bubble machine. Luxuriating on cushions in the wagon was her wirehaired German griffon named Harry, dressed for the role of King Triton and looking royally contented — or bored.
“He’s lazy; he loves sleeping,” Yackley said. “There are cooling pads under his costume so he doesn’t get hot. There are going to be ice packs in the wagon, and he knows it.”
Yackley adopted Harry in 2008. The dog had been found somewhere in Ocean View and was in bad shape at the time. Yackley said the Humane Society deserves credit for everything it does for unwanted and neglected animals.
“Instead of going to pedigrees — get dogs that need homes, that are already here,” she said.
Cindy Marquez rounded out the Little Mermaid theme, elaborately decked out as Chef Louis, and her Chihuahua mix Lil Man was dressed as Sebastian in a lobster costume. Before Marquez adopted him this past April Fools’ Day, he was a shelter animal. Her other dog TJ, a gold-colored mix, wandered into her life at 3 a.m. Easter morning, eight years ago, and stayed.
“He came in through an open slider. I woke up, and he was in my bed,” Marquez said.
Other Howl’ween dogs raced around in dresses, wigs and Superman outfits, some of them frenzied with excitement to be among so many of their own kind. The proud owners paraded their pets down Alii Drive.
The second Howl’ween Walk is set for today at Queen Liliuokalani Park in Hilo. Between the two events, HIHS director Donna Whitaker said she is optimistic the society can surpass last year’s fundraising total of $14,000.
“This is such a great location with the ocean right here,” she said. “People are loving it.”
Rhonda Pollard, owner of Lava Dogs 808, raised more than $3,200 for the Kona event. She and her shiba inu and doberman cross Pepper were dressed as a lifeguard and rescue dog team. Pollard, who runs an online guide for dog owners in Hawaii, said she’s worked to get the word out about the event.
“I love what the Humane Society does for the animals,” she said. “Their second chance fund is not about turning dogs around to get rid of them, it’s rehabilitating them where possible. They want to find the best available homes for these dogs.”
Email Bret Yager at byager@westhawaiitoday.com.