It’s pride month, but because of the global health crisis, pride parades in various parts of the world have been understandably cancelled, forcing organizers to turn to digital platforms instead.
And it seems Guide Dogs are showing their support for the community, too.
The Great Guide Dogs Virtual Dog Show, a competition hosted by the Guide Dogs Organization in the UK, happened to have fallen under Pride week, and to show their support to the LGBTQI community, they included a new category in their competition: Pride Dogs for Guide Dogs.
Are you and your pooch celebrating #PRIDE2020 in the comfort of your own home this year?
Why not join our very own virtual #Pride parade by sharing your photos to The Great Guide Dogs Virtual Dog Show! 👉 https://t.co/7jo0YEklQm pic.twitter.com/xTLkYUCi9O
— Guide Dogs (@guidedogs) June 24, 2020
“In the absence of an actual parade, we thought this would be a fun and inclusive way for us to spread an important message that Guide Dogs is here for everyone,” Guide Dogs Fundraising Special Projects Manager Beth Marsh says in an interview.
LGBT celebrities such as Paul O’Grady, Clare Balding, and Anna Richardson have already expressed their interest in joining the competition.
“Pride Dogs for Guide Dogs is encouraging the LGBTQI community and supporters to take part by entering photos of themselves dressed in their best Pride outfit – accompanied by their dogs in their finest rainbow bandanas and accessories,” Marsh shares.
“Guide Dogs exists to help support the two million people living with sight loss in the U.K., live the life they choose. This not only includes those living with sight loss but also their friends and family around them–we are here for everyone and that includes our LGBTQI colleagues, service users, and supporters.”
You can learn more about the Great Guide Dogs Virtual Dog Show here: https://www.guidedogs.org.uk/virtual-dog-show