Calabasas Lets the Dogs Out

The annual Nuts for Mutts walk and festival let the dogs out this weekend to raise funds for New Leash On Life Animal Rescue, the Agoura Hills/Calabasas Community Center and the Calabasas Rotary Club.

More than 400 participants and their pets strolled through local streets early Sunday morning to finish the 5K walk. With the warm weather, doggy pools and rest stops surrounded the community center to keep pets hydrated. Live entertainment, a beer garden, vendors and food were also on hand.

"This is my first time, and I love it," said West Hills resident Robert Tan, who attended the event with his husky, Leia. "The vendors are really nice and they give freebies."

Some animals were at the event to be adopted. Sage Gallegos of Sage's Mobile Pet Spa fostered one such dog—"Puppy." Gallegos refused to name the 20-week-old, female Jack Russell terrier to avoid getting attached to it.

Many groomed and gussied-up mutts went on to compete in the event's dog show, in such categories as Best Kisser, Best Dressed, Most Handsome, Most Ear-resistible Ears and Fastest Eater. The top 10 that made it through the first round later competed in front of celebrity judges.

One of the top 10 in the Best Dressed category was mutt Notorious PIG, whose owner, Jennifer Bada, found her two years ago, pregnant and on the street, and decided to take her in.

"She has her pearls on today and she has her tutu on," Bada said.

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