Great North Dog Walk 2013: Another World Doggy Record For Charity Event?

By Jenny Wotherspoon Location: The Leas, South Tyneside

The 23rd annual Great North Dog Walk is hoping to break another world record.

The event has won the Guinness World Record for the Largest Dog Walk on 17 occasions, and organiser Tony Carlisle is hoping to break it again in 2013.

There was a last minute name change with the walk being renamed in memory of late labrador Travis Luther Carlisle.

The 13-year-old black labrador, owned by 56-year-old former Harton Technology Collegeteacher Tony, had led the dogs around the course since he was a puppy.

Two days before the 2013 event, Travis unexpectedly passed away following a series of seizures.

Tony, from South Shields, said: "I carry a heavy heart today. I do have his ashes with me which I'll scatter in private when everyone else has gone.

"I'm going to do it here on the Leas, it was his favourite place to walk and he was the lead dog here for the last 13 years, so it's the right place."

Tony added: "But I have to keep positive and focus on breaking that record. The Americans and Canadians compete against us annually.

"But I'm feeling confident, looking at how many online registrations we've had before the event, and with people registering on the day too, that we'll be able to do it."

The event, which has rased £4.5m for animal chairities since it was started in 1990, is now also fundraising for UK military charity Help For Heroes in memory of murdered soldier Lee Rigby.

The dog walk was also renamed in 1997 as the Catherine Cookson Great North Dog Walk, with written permisison from Dame Catherine herself.

The record-breaking 2012 charity event saw 23,301 dogs, from across 185 different breeds, take part in the coastal walk.