About 50 dogs strutted through downtown Saturday during the first-ever Main Street Mutt Strut in Natchez to support the Natchez-Adams Humane Society.

&uot;I think it’s great, I really do,&uot; said Baton Rouge, La., resident Nina Cyphers as she walked her lab, Dark Room, down Main Street.

&uot;I think dogs are so important for health and happiness. I’ve never had a dog before (Dark Room) and he’s just my life.&uot;

The dogs came in all shapes, sizes and ages and many wore &uot;Mutt Strut&uot; bandannas so they could walk in style down Main Street to Memorial Park.

These included, Daisy, a former humane society mutt who is now the proud pet of Glenn, Mary, Hannah, Sarah and Nathan Bolner.

&uot;I thought it would be a good family activity and to support the humane society,&uot; Glenn Bolner said when asked why his family participated.

The Bolners are big advocates of humane society canines.

&uot;I think they make better dogs,&uot; Bolner said. &uot;They’re stronger dogs, and they make better pets.&uot;

Natchez resident Nan Garrison brought the most dogs, six dachshunds, five of which she adopted from the human society.

She also probably had the oldest dog at the Mutt Strut; a 16-year-old dachshund named Punkin who suffered a heart attack last year. He needed extra help for the walk down Main Street so as not to get over stressed.

&uot;This is his wheelchair,&uot; Garrison said pointing to a wagon. &uot;He’d ride for awhile and walked for a while.&uot;

Carroll and Bill Walker, of California, brought their dog, Barney, to Mutt Strut while in town to visit family.

Barney, who was decked out in an engineer’s hat Saturday, travels the country with his owners.

&uot;We came all the way (to Natchez) to enter the competition,&uot; said Bill Walker jokingly who also says Barney is a good traveler. &uot;He has over a 100,000 motor home miles on him.&uot;

The Mutt Strut dogs also participated in contests such as &uot;friendliest dog&uot; the &uot;best licker&uot; and the dog with the &uot;waggiest tail.&uot;