NATCHEZ &045;&045; Xena the Warrior Princess was there. So was Hamlet.

But whether they placed in one of several contests or were simply No. 1 in their owners’ eyes, every dog was a winner at the Natchez-Adams County Humane Society’s 12th annual Bark in the Park.

The event, held Saturday at the Grand Village of the Natchez Indians, is patterned after a similar event in New Orleans.

And it’s one of the nonprofit’s biggest fund-raisers the year, along with the Mutt Strut downtown event and cocktail party fund-raisers held throughout the year, said board member Linda Harper.

Proceeds of the event help pay the operational costs of the society’s shelter &045;&045; no small feat, given cuts in funding from government and other sources.

Robin Stockfelt of Natchez knows firsthand how important it is to keep the shelter going, for that’s where she got Rosie, a chocolate lab, in March.

&uot;I got her there because I wanted to help the shelter, and I wasn’t particular about breeds,&uot; Stockfelt said. The best part about her decision: simple the joy she gets from watching Rosie play.

That, she said, is why it’s so important to support events such as Bark in the Park.

But then again, there’s also the fun of watching dozens of canines compete in such categories as Most Original Costume, Cutest Puppy, Most Friendly and Best Mutt.

Not all dogs had to be &uot;big&uot; stars to win, however. Chihuahua and first-time competitor Peanut, only two handfuls of dog, was proof they can come in small packages.

At 11 weeks &045;&045; and about one pound, owner Barry Gunter estimated &045;&045; Peanut was actually smaller than the trophy he won for Cutest Puppy.

You wouldn’t believe it, Barry Gunter said &uot;but he can go through a 50-pound bag of dog food&uot; pretty fast.

&uot;More like a half a pound,&uot; said his wife, Angie Gunter.

Some dogs went for flashiness points &045;&045; like Mindy Smith’s poodle who, with a glittery purple cape and purple toenails, looked as if she was dressed up for a night at the disco.

&uot;Actually, her name is Xena, so we dressed her up as Xena the Warrior Princess&uot; of TV fame, Smith said.

Xena entered the most beautiful and most original costume categories, but Smith noted that most importantly, the event was for a good cause.