Hundreds of costumed canines, many willing to perform tricks for treats, assembled Saturday in a Manhattan park for what's billed as the nation's largest Halloween dog parade.
Thousands of spectators mingled with about 275 four-legged contestants near the stage in Tompkins Square Park. Every imaginable breed was paraded one by one to preen before judges in the hopes of a Best in Show award at the 25the annual event.
Manhattan resident Robert Krzywicki watched dozens of spectators sneak snapshots of his dachshund, Daisy Mae, dressed from head to tail in a Stregasaurus dinosaur suit.
"For the day, she's like a movie star," he said.
The prize was won by some Dallas contestants who tapped into the Halloween spirit with a Day of the Dead-themed presentation that included two Chihuahuas and a Yorkshire terrier. Last year, a doggy version of Rose and Jack from the movie "Titanic" captured the title.
This year, there were all types of dinosaurs, perhaps capitalizing on the excitement generated by the recent release of the "Jurassic World" film, and dogs posing as an alligator, a dragon, a fisherman and characters from "The Wizard of Oz" and "The Flintstones." One dog, accompanied by a woman wearing a nun's habit, was dressed as Pope Francis.
