Behold Sunday’s “Tri-Pawed Picnic,” which drew the famed Doggie Diner heads and broke the world record for the most three-legged dogs ever counted in one place. We’ve got pup-arazzi pictures and video of these dogs who’ve bounced back from some pretty ruff encounters.
We love San Francisco’s annual Tri-Pawed Picnic and the three-legged dogs that take over a park one summer Sunday per year, because these dogs “tri” harder. And we got word in May that this year’s Three-Legged Dog Picnic was going for the Guinness World Record for the largest gathering of three-legged dogs ever in one place. The previous record was 75 three-legged dogs.
And dog-gone it, Sunday’s picnic did indeed break that record, with 94 three-legged dogs! That said, organizers decided to not register the event with the Guinness Book of World Records. “About a month before the event, we decided it was too complicated to communicate with them.” Tri-Pawed Picnic founder Franny “Panny” Corsick tells SFist. “It's unofficial. We hold the new ‘fun-official’ World Record.”
But good things came in threes Sunday at the picnic’s new Little Marina Green location, as the three famed Doggie Diner heads made an appearance too. “John Law brings them out to special events here in the city. He donates the time and effort,” she adds. “Once the Doggie heads showed up, we became sort of an iconic event. When those dogs show up, you know you’ve made it in San Francisco.”
So dogs got to check out the Doggie Diner heads. Can you even see the tiny specklet of a dog in the above photo?
Here is your highlight, the Parade of the Three-Legged Dogs, which now marched through the Little Marina Green, and in the shadow of the Palace of Fine Arts. “We went to a larger park because the group was getting too big for the small park that we were at,” Corsick explains. “We spoke to Rec and Parks and they had different suggestions for parks. And they suggested this one, for the capacity, and the accessibility of public parking as well.”
But another feature of this event was quite fetching, the Three-Legged Dog Tricks exhibition. Check out Sport above, who is able to perform a standing spin while standing on her back legs.
This poodle Wallace has impressed in years past with his ability to jump through hoops, but also dazzled the crowd by balancing balls on his nose.
And Nala here is able to give a jumping, human-height level high five to her companion.
While this three-legged dog Macaroni’s trick was simply to howl.
And this three-legged dog Mena could be yours, because she’s available for adoption! “She is up for adoption through Rocket Dogs in Oakland,” her foster Vidu tells us. “I’ve taken her out on hikes. She loves the water, she loves swimming. She’s fascinated with birds, she will watch pelicans for hours.”
And meet Wilbur. “He was about 12 weeks old when it was amputated,” his companion Maggies says. “He’s a year-and-a-half old now.”
It was a big day for Eileen, seen above. “Today is her adoption day, we got her five years ago today,” companion Tuan tells us. “We got her from the pound in Milpitas, the Silicon Valley Humane Society.”
“We got her when she was about four months [old],” Tuan adds. “She had a little bit of problems going up and down the stairs, and initially had some problems walking around the block. I guess it was difficult for her. But now she’s the fastest dog on the block.”
There was some occasional dog conflict, or rather, the occasional little Napoleon dog trying to start some shit while the other sat aloofly.
But look at the fine running form of this little guy Max. “He was adopted in Mexico, he’s from Guadalajara. He was hit by a car,” his friend David says. “I don’t think it makes a difference for him, he runs around just fine.”
Slinky here is not a three-legged dog, but a two-legged dog. “Slinky is a dogaroo,” says Pebble Goldman, making a kangaroo joke. “He was one of six. Three of them had four legs, three of them had two legs. I have one of his brothers, and the other is living an Instagram-famous life in Tucson.”
Since Slinky is not three-legged, he did not factor in to the record count of 94 three-legged dogs. But all dogs are welcome at this event. “This is a really nice celebration of otherwise-abled animals,” Goldman adds. “Dogs in carts, dogs with four legs and braces like Murphy, it’s great.”
She speaks of Murphy, seen enjoying a lay in the sun above. Murphy is also Instagram-famous (check out his amazing Halloween costume from last year), and was adopted from the formerly SF-based Family Dog Rescue which is now headquartered in Sonoma.
“He’s got immune-mediated polyarthritis,” companion Jenny Anadon explains. “So he’s got collapsed joints. These are custom orthotics that we got through a holistic vet in Pacifica. They are from a company called OrthoPets.”
Above we have the official counting of the dogs, a delightful video, though it lasts ten minutes long. Some of the dogs would just stop, or get confused, or decide to plop down for a breather at the wrong time. But you can confirm with your own two eyes that there are 94 of them, and we’re including a few more photos below of Sunday’s 2024 Three-Legged Dog Picnic.
Images: Joe Kukura, SFist
