SOUTH AFRICA SETS NEW GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™, FOR THE LARGEST GATHERING OF DOGS WEARING BANDANAS, TOTALLING 765 DOGS
Saturday 28 October: In what can only be described as a scene of overwhelming cuteness, dog lovers from across Gauteng descended on The Big Red Barn Farm Venue in Pretoria, for the Doggy Day out with GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS and dotsure.co.za, raising a total of R50 000 in aid of the Animal Anti-Cruelty League-Johannesburg. In the momentous occasion, today confirmed South Africa as the new title holder for The World’s Largest Gathering of Dogs Wearing Bandanas, with a total or 765 dogs in total.
 
The world’s largest gathering of dogs wearing bandanas – previously benchmarked at an intimidating 764 by the RSPCA ACT in Canberra, Australia in May 2015.
 
SOUTH AFRICAN PET INSURER dotsure.co.za BREAKS GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™, FOR THE LARGEST GATHERING OF DOGS WEARING BANDANAS, TOTALLING 765 DOGS
 
Johannesburg, 28 October 2017 – In what can only be described as a scene of overwhelming cuteness, dog lovers from across Gauteng descended on The Big Red Barn Farm Venue in Pretoria, for the Doggy Day out with GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS and dotsure.co.za, raising funds in aid of the Animal Anti-Cruelty League-Johannesburg. In the momentous occasion, today confirmed South Africa as the new title holder for The World’s Largest Gathering of Dogs Wearing Bandanas.
The world’s largest gathering of dogs wearing bandanas – previously benchmarked at an intimidating 764 by the RSPCA ACT in Canberra, Australia in May 2015.
 
David Roche, dotsure.co.za’s Managing Director, “naturally, one of the causes closest to dotsure.co.za’s heart is being able to provide South Africa’s animals with the loving care they deserve. We help pet owners do this every day by making sure that they have the support to cover their pets’ medical needs, no matter what life throws at them. As a pet insurer we feel it is our responsibility to help combat animal abuse. We want to cement our support for caring for pets, by taking a bold stance to break a world record, to raise awareness with the South African public and at the same time help raise much needed funds to assist the Animal Anti-Cruelty League in the amazing work they do in this field.”
South Africa’s foremost pet insurance provider, dotsure.co.za, was well up to the challenge of being the first in South Africa to attempt to break the record, working closely with the Animal Anti-Cruelty League and calling on their extensive network of pet-lovers to bring the event hashtag of #1Day800Dogs to fruition. They even pledged to match every donation made to the AACL on the day – rand for rand, to aid the organisation in its attempts to end animal cruelty and neglect in South Africa, raising a total donation of R50 000.
 
And it wasn’t just the dogs who received royal treatment on the day. Children and families were also spoiled for choice with an array of artisanal food and craft stands, and entertainment at the Irene Village Market.
“The success of the record attempt was balanced on a knife-edge leading up to the deadline,” says Guinness World Records™ adjudicator, Pravin Patel. “…but I’m happy to report that the final count of bandana-wearing dogs came in at
[765], thereby beating the previous record. We congratulate dotsure.co.za for organising this attempt and for raising awareness for the care and protection of animals.”
 
Funds raised through the participants’ entry donations totalled a whopping R24 500, which was doubled by dotsure.co.za; resulting in a much-needed total donation of R50 000 for the Animal Anti-Cruelty League.
General Manager for AACL, Cindy Price shares, “AACL is extremely proud to have been part of this incredible undertaking by dotsure.co.za. The awareness created today bears testament to the role we play in animal welfare. Our gratitude goes to dotsure.co.za for this opportunity and funds raised today. We hope to see our relationship grow and develop in our common cause in the care and protection of animals. We also want to thank everyone who supported this event and contributed towards this GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS attempt.”
Regardless of the results of the record attempt, Doggy Day with Guinness World Records™ and dotsure.co.za certainly achieved what it set out to do – raise support for those at the front line in the fight against animal cruelty and show our four-legged friends just a bit of the love they show us every day.