2026 Austin Barking Beauty Pageant

We are here today at the O4 Center. I am here with Leslie. This big event is happening today. It's the Barking Beauty Pageant, and we have Laverne. Yes, this is Laverne. Tell me about Laverne. Laverne is a very sweet girl. She was our inaugural Austin Barking Beauty of 2021, gave up her crown to Maisie, and she is my co-host. Okay, Leslie, tell me what's going on, and then we'll introduce some candidates. Okay. Okay, well, this is the Barking Beauty Pageant. We've been doing the Barking Beauty Pageant since 2006 in the Northeast United States. This is our second Austin pageant. If you think Miss America, if you've ever seen Miss America with the swimsuit competition, the talent and the glamour wear, the evening gown competition, well, it's just like that. Exactly like that, except with dogs. Okay, and we're going to have some contestants. Yes, yes. So tell me, what can people see when they come to this event? Well, they will see Maisie come down. Maisie is our first one, and she is the outgoing 2020 Barking Beauty, and her mom, Andree. She is modeling her glamour wear and her crown from last year. Then our next is Nora, and Nora is a beautiful poodle walking by her with her father, Carlos. This little guy. This is Poppy, and his mom, Julia. Poppy. Poppy has positivity with Poppy on Instagram and stuff. Pictures are so cute. So these are some popular dogs, too. These are popular dogs. This is another popular dog. This is Bailey the Westie with his mom, Brittany. Oh my gosh, 100,000 followers. Oh, my gosh. We've got some celebrities in the house. More followers and more likes than I do. Okay, now this cutie patootie. This is Scrappy. Now, Scrappy is from Safe in Austin. And he is one of their favorite doggies. Now, he helps work with children who have undergone some accidents that have taken their legs or things. So, it helps them see that, you know, you can have a fulfilling life. Those animals are so great at Safe in Austin to help kids. Okay. Who's this? This is Eva. Now, Eva is another star. she was our first runner up in 2022 and her dad John has been helping me this year with the pageant oh my goodness she is stunning you look amazing in your dress she is quite the little model girl too now before we get to our next contestant tell me what the point is of the event what can people take away from it well the point of the Barking Beauty Pageant is to raise money for animal rescues and civic organizations. Well, with Safe in Austin, we have both. Love it. We have an animal rescue that services the people in the community. And we are raising as much money as we can for all of their efforts in our community. Okay, this next contestant, he's got his shades on. This is a pretty Appaloosa, modeled by his mom, Lori. Thank you, Lori. He is a handsome, handsome man. Absolutely adorable. And a major plot twist, which I was not expecting this. A cat. This cat believes that he is a dog. Okay. Sparky. Sparky. I have a dog at home that I think might be a cat. So, look at this guy. You get it. Oh, my goodness. Yes. Shut up. You look amazing in your Texas Longhorns jersey. I love it. Okay. The last one we have is very chic. This is Bowen, okay, Bowen means meatball, I can't model it. by his parents Felix and Shawn, oh love you guys are in matching outfits, absolutely adorable, okay these are just a few of the stars, yes, just a few of the contestants we have a few more that are not here today we have a total of 17 contestants competing, beautiful and so if people want to come check this out, what's the process? They can just show up, we have tickets at the door and they're $25 for adults, down to age 12, 12 to 4 it's $15 and under 4, and leashed well-behaved pets are free okay they are all beautiful, anything else before I let you go I just hope to see everybody this afternoon because the more people we have here the more money we can raise for Safe in Austin There's some great silent auction gifts available for purchase. 100% of the profits from today's events goes to Safe in Austin. Oh my gosh, amazing. May the best contestant win. Thank you. Thank you.