More than 100 dogs dressed in Christmas jumpers for a special walkies to Buckingham Palace to show that once again Santa paws was coming to town.
The festive parade was back for a second year and is becoming a popular tradition in the capital, raising funds for two rescue dog charities.
The Rescue Dogs of London Christmas jumper parade walk included a best Christmas jumper competition and a group photo in front of Buckingham Palace.
It raised funds for rescue dogs at ZEM Rescues, which saves dogs from Greece, and Slaughterhouse Survivors, which saves dogs from China.
May Wong, 66, who co-organised Saturdayâs festivities with Teresa Keohane, said: âWe wanted to celebrate them, because dogs arenât just for Christmas but forever, and we wanted to get the message out to everyone.
âThere are so many rescues who will never know what Christmas is. We need to give them a second chance.â
Ms Wongâs dog, Lulu, was rescued from China around two years ago.
She said Lulu, believed to be aged around nine, was saved by activists who intercepted a truck heading to the Chinese dog meat market.
The toy poodle was âvery timidâ when she adopted her and would freeze every time anyone held her.
Ms Wong also adopted George, a street dog from Hungary, and said the pair get on âperfectly wellâ, adding: âGeorge has taught Lulu that itâs going to be okay.â
Helen Lomax, 53, and her husband Graham, 49, attended the event with two of their rescue dogs, Zoe, a five-year-old poodle and bichon frise mix, and Roo, who is eight months and believed to be a Staffordshire bull terrier mix.
The couple adopted Zoe from China through an organisation called Eleventh Hour.
Mr Lomax, an accountant, said Zoe, who is disabled and relies on a wheelchair to move around, was hit by a car and her previous owners no longer wanted her.
He said that Zoe is âvery chilledâ and regularly visits a brain injury unit in Brainkind Stagenhoe Park, a neurological rehabilitation centre in Hitchin, Hertfordshire.
Zoe, whose wheels were decorated to look like Santaâs sleigh, placed first in the International Rescue best-dressed competition.
Mrs Lomax said Roo was likely bred as a coursing dog and was dumped because she suffers from medical conditions.
âDonât overlook the disabled dogs, because they have an incredible life,â she said.
âThereâs a lot of misconception about rescue dogs that they canât be trained, they can be trained.â
The couple said it is important to remember the message âadopt, donât shopâ.
Lisa Hanley, 59, from south east London, met her dog Ash two and a half years ago while she was holidaying in Turkey.
The delivery driver said she âfell in loveâ with Ash, who was living on the beach at the time, and made arrangements to bring him back to the UK.
âHeâs been amazing since day one,â she said.
âHe was scared of a lot of things like the stairs, the floor, the shops.
âNow, he drags me in Pets at Home.
âI couldnât imagine not having him in my life.â
Ash wore a red Christmas jumper decorated with ribbon and a Christmas turkey, to commemorate where he was born.
Melissa Cunningham, 39, adopted her dog Bao just over a year ago when he was two.
Bao, a French bulldog, was born at a breeders and was used as a stud before he was rescued by a charity.
The accountant said all dogs âjust want to love youâ, adding: âI think itâs important to rescue first.
âIt might not be the perfect looking dog, but theyâre still going to love and they are still going to be the companion that you want in a dog.â
