Families and pooches are invited along for a day of free entertainment, organised by Coleraine Borough Council, in celebration of our canine friends and their owners.

The fun day will be held at Rugby Ave between 1pm and 4pm and will host a range of fantastic activities including a dog show, pet’s photo opportunities, heelwork to music, World of Owls exhibition and children’s entertainment. There will also be stalls selling all sorts of doggy delights.

The event has been organised to promote responsible dog ownership and increase awareness of animal safety. It will bring together Council Dog Wardens, animal welfare charities, dog groomers, dog trainers and an exclusive pet photographer, ensuring a fun filled day.

Nuala Houston, Dog Warden at Coleraine Borough Council, said “Following the success of the inaugural Fido’s Family Fun Day last year we decided to make it an annual event. The beauty of the day is that even if you don’t have a dog you can come along to enjoy the other family activities we have in store.

“The day will be a valuable source of information to dog owners and indeed potential dog owners. Owning a pet is a huge responsibility and people must be aware of what is exactly involved before they get one.

“This year we will be introducing a heelwork to music session for dogs which is essentially dog dancing, this is first for us and it should be really good fun for the dog owners to take part in. So whether you have a hairy hound, bouncy bow –wow or a pampered pooch bring them along to Rugby Ave on Saturday, 2nd August.”

Coleraine Borough Council currently employs four dog wardens whose main aim is to promote the message of responsible dog ownership, amongst other things, they are also responsible for collecting stray and unwanted dogs and investigated complaints regarding dogs. For further information on the dog warden service contact Coleraine Borough Council’s Environmental Health Department, Tel, (028) 7034 7171.