The First Ever Pugfest Is A Howling Success

Pugs may the number choice of pet when it comes to celebrity dog owners, but the diminutive, wrinkle-faced breed is also hugely popular with the common folk too.

So popular in fact, that the first ever festival celebrating everything which is so puggishly puggish about the pug has just been held in the UK

Billed as Pugfest, the festival of the pug was held in South Wales and was a resounding success, some might even say howling.

A festival celebrating what many cruelly regard as a ‘toy-dog’ may seem barking mad to your casual great dane or doberman owner, but pugs have long inspired an almost religious-like devotion from their owners, bordering on the insane. Just ask that celebrated pugilist Mickey Rourke how fond he is of his furry little darlings.

So if any dog is going to have a festival, let alone a day, it’s going to be the pug.

Pugfest was the brainchild of pug-lover Rob Clowes who set up the festival in memory of his nine-year-old dog Poppy.

Nearly a thousand pug enthusiasts and their pugs attended the event in Court Colman Manor, Bridgend, to celebrate everything that is great about the common pug.

There were hordes of the wrinkly-faced and curly-tailed hounds everywhere you turned. Pugs of all different shapes and sizes strutted their stuff like cocks of the walk who ruled the roost.

A large percentage of the merry little mutts were even adorned in flashy, and somewhat garish outfits to make them look even more ridiculous to the eyes of everyone except their doting owners.

The event raised over a thousand pounds for Jemima’s Place Animal Trust, which provides emergency care for injured, homeless and unwanted animals.

Rob’s father Martin who helped organize the event, told Wales Online:

“We were astounded by the turnout – we had around 300 pugs running around, which was just crazy.

“The car park was full within half an hour of the doors opening. People came from as far as Manchester and Plymouth and the rain held off, which was great.

“We are not sure yet how much money was raised, but I think it will be well above £1,000. It’s just amazing to see how many people own pugs.

“We are now planning an event in the run-up to Christmas and Pugfest is definitely something we want to do every year. But I think next time we are going to need a bigger venue.”

And in case you’re wondering. Yes, there was a VIP area for Very Important Pugs.