The ’Dale’s doggone cutest new Halloween event
An EXCLUSIVE interview with Village Manager Alexandra Marshall about the upcoming costumed-pooch parade.
BY DEBORAH SKOLNIK
Trick or doggie treat Pooches will strut their stuff in downtown Scarsdale Village, dressed to the (ca)nines.
Move over, Halloween window painting: Now, there’s Halloween dog parading. On Sunday, October 27th, dress up your furry pal in the costume of your choice, and then head over to Chase Park in the Village at noon. From there, you’ll march together on the festive route of the inaugural Howl-O-Ween Dog Parade. (Just no tail-gating, please.)
Whether you’ve got a pooch to show off or just enjoy cute canines, this is the event you’ve been waiting for. The Insider snagged a few minutes with Village Manager Alexandra Marshall for an exclusive talk about how the parade came to be, and the important message it hopes to convey.
License for fun
The inspiration for the event began with a wish not only for some silliness, but also for safety, according to Marshall. “We were having a conversation about how we best can encourage residents to license their dogs,” she explained. “We suspect that we have dogs [in Scarsdale] that are not licensed.“
Dog licenses are required by New York State law, and they also have many benefits: Among them, licensing fees help fund animal shelters, and should your dog get lost while wearing a license tag, Animal Services will contact you. A license is also vital proof that your dog is vaccinated for rabies.
The parade, Marshall says, is geared towards helping to raise awareness of this crucial step in responsible dog ownership. In order to participate in the parade, you must be a Scarsdale resident and your dog must have an active license. Proof that your dog has an up-to-date rabies vaccination is also required.
Get creative You can even dress up your dog like a bat, man.
[Photo: Hayffield L on Unsplash]
Walk this way
“We had something similar to this event in my prior job in Rye Brook,” Marshall shared. While she prefers that dog owners sign up in advance, there will people on hand to sign up walk-ins, she said. It’s almost sure to be well worth the effort, since there will be plenty of time for you and your dog to enjoy yourselves. “I expect [the event] to be about two hours long,” Marshall said. Among the amusements will be prizes for the best-in-(horror)-show costumes, a photo booth to capture the zany fun, and treats for both pets and humans. (Try not to mix those up.)
If you’d like to pre-register for the parade, click here. If you are unsure if your dog is licensed or if the license is up to date, reach out to the Village Clerk’s Office at 914-722-1175 or clerk@scarsdale.gov. For information on how to license your dog, click here.