Sinar Molnar with her dog Iva in action at Pet-A-Polooza The Day of the Dog, a fundraiser for the Just Love Animals Society, in Vancouver, BC., on August 28, 2022. Photo by NICK PROCAYLO /PNG

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Who let the dogs out?

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Arguably, it was Jordan Illingworth and Leo Powell.

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Previously globe-trotting nightclub operators, the couple established a new base of operations in Victoria to launch North America’s largest dog festival in 2011.

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Fifteen years later, the Pet-A-Palooza Day of the Dog takes place in eight locations, including this Sunday’s takeover of the 1100-block of Mainland Street in Yaletown. The festival is expected to bring in over 15,000 people and their furry family members.

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“Getting dogs completely changed the focus of our lives and we wanted to do something that would allow us to spend as much time with them as humanely possible,” said Powell. “We had seen something similar to this in Toronto and wanted to bring it to the West Coast and globally. So we conceived of something like a music festival for dogs and it took off with us getting invited to multiple cities every year.”

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The free, family- and pet-friendly event held on August 23rd boasts 20-plus different installations. Leading pet exhibitors from across North America come to give the animals a day to party and bring their people along.

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After visiting the dog-friendly food stalls or competing in a pie-eating contest for dogs, pups can splash and doggy-paddle across an 80-foot-long pool complete with DJs, canine cabanas, floating rafts and lifeguards.

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Courtesy of Barking Mad Photography. Photo by Barking Mad Photography /Petapalooza

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“We’re quite selective of what we include, tailored to suit each different location, taking the music fest template and applying it to canine entertainment,” said Powell. “We brought in 30 tonnes of snow in L.A., have brought in a surf machine in Scottsdale so the pups can have a surf and more. The races are by far the favourite thing it seems, from wieners to Corgis and more, some of them train all year long to come compete to take home a coveted prize.”

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This year’s festival also includes a ‘Dogue’ Fashion Show displaying the latest in canine couture, as well as a place to get dog blessings honouring the depth of the human and canine connection. Organizations such as the SPCA, Vancouver City Animal Services and Homeless Pets Canada Society will be prominently featured in the mix of exhibitors and info booths.

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There is even a drool contest, which might not appeal to everyone.

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Courtesy of Barking Mad Photography. Photo by Barking Mad Photography /Petapalooza

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“To date, we’ve donated over $1 million to a bunch of organizations like local rescues, startups and others doing great work in their communities as well as coming together to celebrate the ‘modern family’,” said Powell. “We think that it’s a cultural phenomenon to just have dogs and cats and opting out of having children at all, or waiting until later, and it deserves to be recognized. We went from never having dogs to, at one point, having a crew of seven Great Danes and loving it.”

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When Illingworth and Powell aren’t busy planning the next idea for Pet-A-Palooza Day of the Dog attendees to enjoy, the couple own and operate three locations of The Pet Store on Vancouver Island. The stores offer a curated product mix, including a full range of herbal and holistic health and nutrition items. One store includes a catnip dispensary where you can select exactly the right blend of the green goodness for your preferred purr-son.

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The interest in herbal options for animals, they note, came from an unfortunate personal experience.

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“It was at a time in Toronto when people were really opposed to sharing green space with animals and some were leaving poison out in parks and one of our boys was poisoned,” said Powell. “We were able to give him many more years of life through a combined approach of treatment that included holistic healing, which really opened our eyes up.”

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