Boy were we disappointed when we got to the HOWL-o-ween Dog Costume Contest at UF's Equine Auditorium.
We went to the fundraiser expecting to see a bunch of people dressed as Dalmatians, and all we saw were some giddy dog owners and a dog dressed as the Joker from "The Dark Knight."
Not to dampen the efforts of the UF Pre-Veterinary Medicine Club, because any kind of fundraiser has its share of nobility, but we think they could've gone about this event in a completely different way.
Imagine if it had been what we thought it was, and the costume contest wasn't for dogs, but for people in dog costumes?
Do you think it would've been as embarrassing for the pups to see their owners dressed up like idiots as it was for them to be subjected to itchy human clothes and make up?
We think so.
Any event that encourages people to dress their dogs - including Christmas and the pooch sweaters that come with it - are a substantial blow the collective dignity of dogs everywhere.
No funds should ever be raised at the expense of a dog's dignity.
Next year, we want to see a HOWL-o-ween that requires dog owners to foolishly dress up like dogs if they wish to beat down their pets' self-respect.
We suggest older folks look for Shar-Pei costumes.
