Walk of Fame (dogs)

The Walk of Fame is a tribute to famous dogs in London, England. The initial six inductees were announced in November 2007. The honours were sponsored by The Kennel Club and television channel Sky Movies.

Candidates included Lassie, Toto from The Wizard of Oz, cartoon dog Gromit, and Tintin's companion, Snowy.[1] Some of the candidates are fictional and some are no longer living. There are 15 dogs being considered.[2]

The tribute is not the first to honour dogs. The Hollywood Walk of Fame includes three dogs, Lassie, Rin Tin Tin, and Strongheart. Laika, a dog sent into orbit by the Soviet Union, is commemorated by a plaque at a Moscow research center as well as depicted in a monument dedicated to fallen cosmonauts at Star City.[3] Several war dog memorials honouring dogs which participated in previous war efforts, exist at the United States Marine Corps War Dog Cemetery in Guam, March Air Force Base in California, and the National Infantry Museum in Fort Benning, Georgia.[4] The planned Walk of Fame is not the first of its kind in the United Kingdom either. There is an "Avenue of the Stars" in Covent Garden, London honouring over 100 actors and actresses.[5]

Announcing the proposed tribute, Kennel Club Secretary Caroline Kisko said, "To immortalize these dogs within Battersea Park, a place intrinsically linked to dogs itself, is very important to the Kennel Club and promotes the importance of dogs within our lives".[6]

Location

Permanent plaques for each inductee were placed in Battersea Park in London,[2] which is on the south bank of the River Thames. The former Battersea Dogs Home, now called the Battersea Dog and Cats Home, Britain's largest home for abandoned dogs is situated nearby and a well-known landmark.[7]

Battersea Dogs Home in 2004.

Judging panel

Ian Lewis, Director of Sky Movies; Sarah Wright, Editor of Your Dog; James Christopher, Film Critic from The Times; and Caroline Kisko, Kennel Club Secretary are among the panel.[2]

References
  1. Davies, Rebecca (2007-10-26). "The Dog Walk of Fame". The Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group Limited. Retrieved 2011-04-03.
  2. Movie Dogs Get Walk Of Fame (from This Is Local London)
  3. Space Today Online - Animals - Dogs in Space
  4. Oklahoma State University - Stillwater - OSU to Participate in War Dog Memorial Ceremony
  5. BBC NEWS | Entertainment | Stars light up UK's Walk of Fame
  6. The Associated Press (2007-10-18). "Arf! Walk of fame to honor doggie stars". USA Today. USA Today. Retrieved 2011-04-03.
  7. "Arf! Walk of Fame to Honor Doggie Stars". London, England. Associated Press. Archived from the original on October 20, 2007. Retrieved July 13, 2011.
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