Hundreds gather for the 79th Annual La Grange Pet Parade

La Grange pet owners march to celebrate their furry friends

The La Grange Pet Parade brought together dogs and cats and other animals for a stroll with their owners down La Grange's Main Street.

What we know:

LA GRANGE, Ill. - If every dog has its day, Saturday was the day for hundreds of furry friends in the western suburbs as the annual La Grange Pet Parade took over Main Street.

Founded in 1947 by the La Grange Chamber of Commerce, the parade celebrates the joys of pet ownership. Dogs, cats, and even more unusual companions strutted alongside their owners, many decked out in colorful costumes. Floats, school groups and local nonprofits also joined the festivities.

"It’s such a happy event," said Shauna Baechle of La Grange, who attended the parade with one of her three Boston terriers. "Sometimes I prefer them to my kids — can I say that? They just make me smile."

This year’s grand marshal was FOX 32’s Scott Schneider, honored for his work with the West Suburban Humane Society.