Friendly, fun and loyal, the bouwwas, a breed unique only to Sri Lanka, proved they make ideal pets at the Bouwwa Show 2009 held last Sunday at the Viharamahadevi Park, Colombo.

The event was organised by the Blue Paw Trust to raise awareness of the particular breed that has been unfairly overlooked as pets and to mark World Rabies Day ( September 28).

Their day to shine, almost all the participating dogs received prizes said Ashani Unamboowe of Blue Paw Trust, adding that almost all of the 35 dogs that participated in the event were rescued from the streets.

One of the many interesting rescue stories is Dotty's. "What's interesting is that Dotty, the dog that won the Best Coat category, was found as a puppy without any fur, shivering under a lamp in the street", says Ashani.

The dogs and their owners enjoyed the show immensely, as the owners got a chance to dress their dogs in colourful and creative costumes and the bouwwas were pampered thoroughly. The entire event was a huge

success according to Ashani, adding that the dog show and the Air Force dog show were a hit with the crowd.