In late September, while the Katmai National Park in Alaska, USA, was engaging in Fat Bear Week to select the fattest bear, a similar event was taking place in Delhi, India – a competition to pick the fattest dog. The winning chubby dog weighed a whopping 75 kilograms, heavier than many humans.
According to reports from the United News International, the fat dog contest was initiated by a journalism student at Delhi University. She created an account named “Fat Dogs of Delhi” on Instagram, inviting netizens to vote for their favorite chubby dog starting on September 24th.
A total of 64 dogs were nominated for the competition, coming from various areas, including many stray dogs without permanent owners, fed by the community. Unfortunately, two dogs passed away during the event, sparking mourn among the participants.
With enthusiastic support from the public through Instagram posts, posters, memes, short videos, and public calls for voting, the fan base of “Fat Dogs of Delhi” quickly surpassed 100,000 followers.
The student organizing the event, who requested to remain anonymous, mentioned to the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) that the idea stemmed from observing similar elimination-style contests on social media. She thought, “Why not make it a fun event to help build connections among people?”
She expressed surprise at the overwhelming popularity the event garnered and appreciated the sense of community it created.
The organizer also expressed her hope that the success of this event would raise awareness for stray dogs in Delhi. Alongside the competition, she continuously promoted animal welfare organizations and dogs in urgent need of help.
After several rounds of voting, the champion was crowned in the final held on September 30th. The winner was Gola, a dog from the Hauz Khas market area, weighing a staggering 75 kilograms. Gola was quite popular in the neighborhood and beloved by the residents.
According to NDTV, Gola emerged victorious in the final with a total of 39,904 votes. The voting procedures for the final round included both online and offline methods, allowing Delhi residents to participate beyond social media.
These voting stations set up in numerous coffee shops attracted people of all ages, from young to elderly. Some supporters even brought campaign materials they crafted for their favorite dog, adding an election-like fervor to the event.
While supporters fervently campaigned for their beloved dogs, animal welfare organizations and volunteers seized the opportunity to raise awareness for community dogs.
The organizer mentioned that the impact of this event contributes to supporting animal welfare efforts, including donation of resources to animal shelters and providing essential items like food, mats, and collars for the animals.