Baton Rouge kicked off its Mardi Gras celebration Sunday with the 12th annual “Mystic Krewe de Mutts” parade downtown.
Pet lovers, dogs of every shape and size, vendors and animal-rescue organizations gathered on North Boulevard between 4th and 5th streets to celebrate the event, hosted by the Capital Area Animal Welfare Society.
Dozens of just about every breed imaginable mingled at the parade — from Great Danes to dachshunds. They begged for hot dogs and wore throws from the parade.
The theme of this year’s Krewe de Mutts was “Hooray for Howl-y-wood,” and owners decked their floats with themes like “Scarlett O’Hair-a” from “Gone with the Wind,” the cast of “Wizard of Oz” and “Jaws.”
Pups in the costume contest were dressed as Elvis, characters from “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” and Minnie Mouse. A goat even snuck into the dog contest dressed as Paris Hilton.
The parade’s grand marshal was Cane II, the furry face of Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers.
“CAAWS royalty,” honored dogs of the parade, are always dogs rescued by CAAWS who have been adopted into loving homes. This year’s royalty were King Fred and Buttercup.
Cane II’s owners, Todd and Gwen Graves, are CAAWS’ biggest sponsors and great supporters, said Frank Parks, CAAWS director.
Animal rescue organization volunteers followed Cane II with banners and spoils to throw.
  Gallery: Mystic Krewe de Mutts
 
University student Chris Migliore said his uncle participated in the parade, and he wanted to see the festivities for himself.
“I came out here to be with the greatest dogs, greatest people in the greatest city,” said Migliore, computer science junior.
The parade is the largest fundraiser for CAAWS and raises more than $15,000 each year, Parks said.
“It is wild,” Parks said. “Up to 10,000 people come.”
CAAWS, founded in 1979, is Baton Rouge’s oldest animal organization, started because there wasn’t any animal control in Baton Rouge, said CAAWS Vice President Greg Jones.
“There was just the ‘dog catcher,'” Jones said.
Jones is one of hundreds of CAAWS volunteers who devote their free time to feed and care for the animals. While most volunteers have full-time jobs, Jones is retired and devotes his time to CAAWS.
Parade proceeds go to CAAWS’ main mission of spaying and neutering animals.
“Our organization feels if you want to attack the overabundance of animals, the way to do that is to spay and neuter animals,” Parks said.
CAAWS has shelters for dogs and cats rescued from euthanization and animal shelters. They spay and neuter, put animals in foster homes, put animals up for adoption and host pet therapy programs.
They show their animals for adoption at PetSmart locations on Siegen Lane and Millerville Road.
Jones said his favorite part of working at CAAWS is pet therapy, where volunteers take animals to nursing homes.
“It wakes [people] up,” Jones said. “It breaks up the monotony of the daily nursing home life.”
Other volunteer groups participated in “Bark at the Park,”
Another part of the “Mystic Krewe de Mutts” celebration held on the median of the parade route on North Boulevard. Greyhound rescue groups, pet store vendors, a pit bull rescue group and others advocated for their causes.
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Contact Catherine Threlkeld at [email protected]