Clear your canines calendar and get ready to PAW-TY! 

Join in for a day of fun and games, especially for our four-legged friends, their owners, and all animal lovers to socialise, picnic, and party in the park. A fun filled event that is sure to get tails wagging! Treats, Entertainment and Prizes await as we search for Douglas Shire’s Next Top Dog.

Proudly a community event for Port Douglas Carnivale – Saturday May 24th, 9:30am to 12:30pm at the Port Douglas Surf Life Saving Club 

The Best Dressed Dog Parade is a new event to the Pooch Party lineup to kick off the paw-ty. It’s a Carnivale procession, like Mardi Gras, but for dogs, so dress up and get set to hit the beach for a great cause.

Registration is a $5.00 donation for competition entry or gold coin donation to join the parade.

9:30am – Register and meet at Reynolds Park, behind the Port Douglas Tennis Club

9:45am – Walk together on Garrick Street to Sand Street and along Four Mile Beach to The Port Doulgas Surf Life Saving Club

10:15am – Best Dressed Dog Parade Competition

Further Top Dog Arena competition registrations are a $5.00 donation per event and open at 10:00am. They include:

10:30am – Dog with the Waggiest Tail

10:45am – Owner/Dog Lookalike

11:00am – Naughtiest Dog – Tails of Destruction 

11:15am – Best Dog Trick

11:30am – Douglas Shire’s Top Dog 

Each category winner is invited into the judging arena where the 2025 Douglas Shire’s Top Dog will be crowned.

**Please note that these times are approximate and may vary depending on the number of entries in each category**

All entries receive a doggie bag of treats plus amazing prizes for the competition winners, including donated dining vouchers for The Tin Shed

12:00noon – Raffle and Lucky Square Draw

Hosted by Douglas FM, this event offers fun for all the family with Malones Butchery BBQ, Bugzy Bumblebee Bubble Show, Pet Advice and Products from Port Douglas Vet, Facepainting and Balloon Art, Raffles and more. Dogless Humans are also welcome too, so come and watch the show. We can’t wait to see you there.

This event is proudly sponsored by Ray White Port Douglas and Port Douglas Vets in support of Paws and Claws Animal Refugee and Boarding Center.  Every dollar raised at this event is donated to the purpose-built animal refuge and boarding facilities in the Douglas Shire.

So dig deep people (not dogs)….

To become a member of Paws and Claws, register as a volunteer or to make a donation please click https://pawsandclaws.org.au/

Contact us to join the fun!