Animal lovers have broken a bizarre world record after more than a hundred dog owners and their pets turned up at a cinema to watch 101 Dalmatians. Rachel Marie, 23, invited hundreds of pooches to join her at the outdoor screening of the Disney classic on Sunday afternoon (11 September) in Worcester.
She was attempting to break the record for most dogs at an outdoor cinema screening, which was set in 2019 when 120 mutts turned up in Brazil to watch Pets 2. She was left delighted when 127 dogs descended on the grounds of Perdiswell Leisure Centre to narrowly seal the Guinness World Record.
Rachel, of Worcester, said: "I feel a little bit overwhelmed. It hasn’t quite sunk in yet, I can’t quite believe I pulled it off.
"It was a lovely day with a really chilled vibe. There was some concerns about having so many dogs in one area but they were all impeccably behaved.
"We were delighted to set a new world record. It feels like a wonderful achievement.
"I am very OTT in general, so I wanted to see what I could do and push myself towards it. Once I have an idea in my head, I will achieve it."
Rachel, who runs a dog care service, said it was touch-and-go for a while as they only counted 117 dogs as the time of the 3pm screening grew nearer. She added: "The first time we counted it was 103 so we were a bit concerned we wouldn't make it.
"Then we got to 117 and we were running out of time so that’s when we rallied around and got the extra ten. Some people turned up late and we got a few dog walkers who were passing by that we grabbed and welcomed with open arms.
"We did what we could just to get over that 120 mark - and somehow we did it. There were family and friends' dogs there.
"I had 12 with me from clients and I had other clients that met me there. But there was a huge collection of dogs I didn’t know."
Rachel also raised £542 for the Amicii Dog Rescue charity at the event, which she was determined to still hold despite the death of The Queen. She added: “A lot of clients didn’t come due to the passing of the Queen.
"But the Queen obviously loved her dogs and that’s why I still wanted the event to go ahead. I'm sure the number would have been a lot higher but I couldn’t delay it anymore and the important thing is that we broke the record.
“All the animal charities in Worcester were put in a hat and on the day we picked one because I couldn't choose. After the pandemic, it was a nice way for people to get together and bring their dogs.
"Now, people are working all day and then often have plans that don't involve their dogs. So it's a good way for people to come together.
"I have had the support of my friends and clients, but I'm proud to have organised the event all by myself. When I was 18, I jumped out of a plane for charity, I'll always have something I want to achieve and do."
Owners could turn up on the day but had to register the dog with an onsite vet to make sure they were over a year old. She said: "As long as the dog was over one year old and the breed was registered, they were ok to be involved in the event.
"The Guinness World Record guy wanted every dog in attendance to be over one year old, so I had a vet to verify that. I just invited anyone to bring their dog, their friend's dog, their nan's dog and any other family dogs they could.
"It all worked out in the end and I'm very proud we achieved it."
Among the crowd were Tom and Ellie Wright, both 29, who took their four-year-old Yorkshire terrier Pip to the event.
Welder Tom, of Worcester, said: "We thought it was just a cool and quirky thing to be a part of - I've never broken a world record before. Plus, the wife loves 101 Dalmatians, so it was a nice thing to do on a Sunday afternoon when we usually walk Pip around the park anyway."
