Corgis. What is so special about these dogs? One cannot think of them without smiling, and here in Fort Collins, we are mad about these pups. I, Caroline Sears, thoroughly recommend the Corgi Parade.

The Corgi Parade, also known as the Tour de Corgi, is held every fall; this year it was September 29, in Old Town, Fort Collins. This year, over five hundred of Colorado’s finest Corgis took over the streets to benefit 4 Paws Pet Pantry, Low Riders of the West, and the Wyoming Dachshund and Corgi Rescue. Vendors sold treats and toys while pups in costumes played on leashes. From Spiderman to a Donut, all the corgis were loving their new looks. A Corgi Costume Contest was dominated by Cruella de Vil and her 101 Dalmations (hint: they were really Corgis). I attempted to interview one triumphant contestant but he replied with no comment. The parade was seven hours of contests, marching, and pure corgi bliss. Looking across the field of corgis and their owners, not a single frowning face was seen. A freshman, Eva Jones spoke to me about the display, stating “I love corgis and seeing all the people here. No one here is sad about being surrounded by the cutest dog on the planet,” She smiled and kept admiring the dogs, then asked, “Is this what heaven looks like?”

I asked many Corgi supporters and owners about their pets. “This is Jet and this is Zoe,” one woman said, pointing to her left whilst Jet jumped up on my knee. “Zoe is introverted but Jet likes to meet new people. This is a nice place for both of them to both be…just happy dogs!” We waved goodbye to Jet and Zoe and continued on our search for talkative corgis and owners; to our surprise, that was not too hard. “It’s such a happy time, no one can help but smile!” said the owner of Tucker, a five-month-old Pembroke Welsh Corgi.

Behind all of these owners were the dogs, and their stories waiting to be told, like 2-year-old Olivia’s. “She’s a runt which is why she’s really small and they couldn’t crop her tail and that’s why she has a tail. But, now it’s really awesome!”, explained her owner.  Also, Bella had quite the story. As her owner stated, “She is nine years old, I adopted her from the Corgi rescue, she was abused. She was on the street. That’s her story.” Now, Bella is marching with another five hundred Corgis to benefit the rescue that saved her life. The Parade is estimating about $2,500 dollars at minimum for donation.

We kept walking past hundreds of dogs and stands until a banana split costume caught my eye. As I walked up to the pair, I was expecting any other answer. The woman stated, “This is Pumpkin, she is a six-year-old Pembroke Welsh Corgi, we’ve been participating for two years.” Then, I asked her “what makes Corgi’s so special?” She exclaimed, “They have different personalities, they all have their own way of being, they are all lovable wonderful dogs. They smile the most they make everybody happy. I’ve never been happier since I’ve had her. I’ve had dogs in my life but, I’ve never been so outgoing, I never felt like I can do more with myself. She saved me.”

How can one dog change someone’s life? All of these dogs have changed their owner’s life. Dogs somehow have the power to bring us and our community together. At the corgi parade, not one person was frowning. Not a single dog fighting or barking. These dogs brought our town together for one day, and while that may seem like a short time, cherishing time away from fake news or scandals to simply look at some smiling pups is something the people of Fort Collins need. It’s a secret wonder of Fort Collins that few know about, but those who do treasure. I hope to see you next year at the Tour de Corgi.