Let the good times roll

Best Friends Katrina dogs wow them at Barkus

On Sunday, they were the proud Best Friends Animal Society contingent in the only Mardi Grad parade dedicated to the canine crowd. Hard to believe these dogs were on the streets in still devastated parts of New Orleans just weeks or days ago.

The parade, Barkus was one more party this month in New Orleans that was as much a testament to survival as it was about a good time. It was a treasure chest of dogs, every breed and mix imaginable; of vivid colors and great Cajun music.

So the dog that was in front of the Best Friends banner fit right in.

Red the paralyzed dog, who has become the mascot of Best Friends hurricane relief efforts at Celebration Station, was a crowd favorite. He took his “meet-and-greet” responsibilities to heart and set the pace for the Best Friends contingent. He showed people how happy he was and that a disabled dog can lead a very good life. He even met a wheelchair dachshund during the parade and a man in a wheelchair.

As the Best Friends staff and volunteers walked the dogs through the narrow windy streets of the French quarter one question was asked repeatedly. “These are Katrina dogs?” That question could be asked with a celebratory air, as in “Yeah, good to see some of the ones saved,” or with a tone of incredulity because they were so calm and well-behaved.

Yes, they were Katrina dogs. But Sunday was “The Pawty” and the Best Friends dogs were there to have a good time. Enough of the sad stories!

And the community of New Orleans was ready to have a good time with the dogs. Charlotte Bass Lilly, vice president of development for Barkus, said she was worried they wouldn’t have a very good turnout this year because of Hurricane Katrina.

“But we were up 50 percent on the registration. We were worried about the perception that people would think it was wrong to hold this parade this year. But we had hundreds of e-mails who said “Thank God you’re doing this and only one negative one.

Robin Beaulieu, the volunteer coordinator for Barkus, said she was astonished and inspired by the dedication of the volunteers. “We normally have about 200 and this years it was less than half of that. But each volunteer did the work of five.”

One volunteer carpenter, who had lost his house in Gentilly, told Charlotte, “It was really, really nice to see the people of New Orleans with smiles on their faces, I needed to see that.”