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The photos from this world record charity event are a must-see for dog lovers everywhere.

Imagine going down to a park and meeting a dog.

Photo by Ian Forsyth/Getty Images.

And then another dog.

Photo by Ian Forsyth/Getty Images.

And then another dog. Or maybe two more dogs. Wouldn't that be the best day ever?

Photo by Ian Forsyth/Getty Images.

Well what if you got to meet those four wonderful pups ... and then 30,110 more after that?

Photo by Ian Forsyth/Getty Images.

If you live in South Shields, England, this might have been your weekend.

On June 4, 2017, the small city of South Shields, England, was home to the 27th Annual Great North Dog Walk.

The start of the walk. Photo by Ian Forsyth/Getty Images.

The event, started by physical education teacher Tony Carlisle back in 1990, brings together dog owners and their pups for a brisk stroll along the North English coast.

The route goes along The Leas, a National Trust area along the North Sea. Photo by Ian Forsyth/Getty Images.

Carlisle says seeing the event grow from 13 hounds and a few of his students to a grand total of 30,114 participants this year is pretty mind-blowing.

"I never in my wildest dreams ever imagined it'd get as big as this," Carlisle says.

Over 180 different breeds of dog showed up, according to Carlisle. From the very small...

Two pugs stop for a meet and greet. Photo by Ian Forsyth/Getty Images.

Photo by Ian Forsyth/Getty Images.

...to the very large.

Definitely a gentle giant, this one. Photo by Ian Forsyth/Getty Images.

From the elegant...

Photo by Ian Forsyth/Getty Images.

...to the stylish...

These Chinese crested dogs have a natural flair for the dramatic. Photo by Ian Forsyth/Getty Images.

...to the suspiciously bipedal.

Dear Lord, that is the happiest dog I have ever seen. Photo by Ian Forsyth/Getty Images.

The event has gathered at least 16 Guinness World Records over the years.

Photo by Ian Forsyth/Getty Images.

Similar dog walking events have popped up in places like Texas, Canada, and Scotland, and have occasionally stolen the title of World's Largest, but it's hard to unseat the king. Carlisle is confident this year's walk will be another record-breaker.

A lot of dogs means a lot of dog dishes! Photo from Ian Forsyth/Getty Images.

The best part of the event, though, is that it's not just a chance to get out and meet some dogs. It's raised millions for charity too.

Photo by Ian Forsyth/Getty Images.

Participants in the dog walk can sign up to donate from one of 34 different beneficiaries, from pet shelters to veteran support to cancer research. Over the last 27 years, the Dog Walk's raised about $8.67 million (6.72 million pounds), according to Carlisle.

Not bad for a day out with your pooch.

Photo by Ian Forsyth/Getty Images.

Of course, walking 30,000 dogs comes with some ... logistics.

Photo by Ian Forsyth/Getty Images.

"Every walker's given a poo bag," says Carlisle. And they have plenty of bins on site.

Good plan.

Joy

Sorry, Labradors. After 31 years, America has a new favorite dog.

The American Kennel Club has crowned a new favorite.

via Pixabay

A sad-looking Labrador Retriever

The sweet-faced, loveable Labrador Retriever is no longer America’s favorite dog breed. The breed best known for having a heart of gold has been replaced by the smaller, more urban-friendly French Bulldog.

According to the American Kennel Club, for the past 31 years, the Labrador Retriever was America’s favorite dog, but it was eclipsed in 2022 by the Frenchie. The rankings are based on nearly 716,500 dogs newly registered in 2022, of which about 1 in 7 were Frenchies. Around 108,000 French Bulldogs were recorded in the U.S. in 2022, surpassing Labrador Retrievers by over 21,000.

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Pop Culture

Author is causing debate over theory that we've 'tricked' ourselves into loving lobster

"Lobsters are like diamonds. Bad product, great marketing."

via JasonKPargin/TikTok

Jason K. Pargin shares his controversial theory on lobster.

Novelist Jason K. Pargin has inspired an online food fight after his video about lobster received over 500,000 views on Tiktok and nearly 6 million on Twitter. Pargin believes that we’ve all been tricked into liking lobster and that people only like it because it’s considered high class.

Pargin is the author of the “John Dies at the End” and “Zoey Ashe” series and the former editor of Cracked.com.

"I don't think anyone actually enjoys eating lobster. I think they've just been convinced that it's a high-class food for a really specific reason,” Pargin says in his controversial video. He then describes how just a few centuries ago lobster was once used as prisoners' food and ground into fertilizer.

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Joy

An 8-year-old snuck his handwritten book onto a library shelf. Now it has a 56-person waiting list.

Dillon Helbig's 81-page graphic novel— written by "Dillon His Self"—captured the hearts of his local librarians and their patrons.

KTVB/YouTube

Dillon Helbig's 81-page graphic novel captured the hearts of his local librarians.

Writing a book is no easy task, even for adult professional writers. Many would-be authors dream of a day when their work can be found on library shelves, unsure if it will ever come.

But for 8-year-old Dillon Helbig, that day has already arrived—in truly unconventional fashion—thanks to his own determination to make it happen.

Dillon wrote his 81-page graphic novel, "The Adventures of Dillon Helbig's Crismis" (written by "Dillon His Self") in a hardcover journal with colored pencils over the course of a few days. He even put a label on the back of the book that reads "Made in Idho" [sic] and put an illustrated spine label on it as well. Then, without telling anyone, he brought it to his local library in Boise, Idaho, and slipped it in among the books in the children's section.

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family
Pop Culture

This 1940s guide on 'how to be pretty' for teen girls has some surprisingly modern suggestions

In a resurfaced video from the 1940s, Mary Stuyvesant, a Ponds beauty consultant, spoke to a group of high school girls about "how to be pretty."

Glamourdaze/YouTube

1940s guide on "how to be pretty" is surprisingly modern.

Often, when we think of the 1940s and the messaging that was sent to women and girls back then, we tend to imagine lessons about how to get and keep a husband. But it turns out that all messaging wasn't the same and some girls were receiving a much more progressive message about their appearance.

In a resurfaced video from the 1940s, Mary Stuyvesant, a Ponds beauty consultant, spoke to a group of high school girls about "how to be pretty." Surprisingly, the advice is rather timeless and not at all focused on becoming the best wife and mother you can be, but on learning to care for yourself. Stuyvesant refers to your physical appearance as icing on a cake and that good icing tastes nice but the cake is the most important part.

She goes on to explain to the girls that who they are as people is the cake and that's the part that needs the most attention.

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Joy

Weatherman rescues a chicken in a blizzard and now they're an unlikely best friend duo

"Now that she's a part of the family, she's a total diva!"

The Dodo/YoutTube

Weatherman rescues a chicken in a blizzard and now they're friends.

There's a little-known saying that every weatherman needs a chicken. OK, it's little known because I totally just made it up, but you have to admit, it's just random enough to make you wonder if you missed out on a weird colloquialism. But in this case, it may be a new saying because weatherman David Neal found a stray chicken while reporting on a blizzard, and they've somehow become best friends.

The chicken, now named Penelope, was running around in the snowstorm while Neal was filming, so he tried to catch her so he could make sure she was warm. Penelope had other plans and gave Neal a literal run for his money. Eventually, with the help of a bystander who was likely as confused as the chicken, Neal was able to get Penny in his arms.

Of course, he had some explaining to do once the cameras were rolling again, and he handled it like the pro he is, holding a live chicken.

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pet chicken
Pop Culture

Taylor Swift wows fans by diving below the stage of her Eras Tour concert

Even non-Swifties agreed that this move was next level.

Today Info/Youtube

Taylor Swift "diving" below the stage of her Eras Tour concert

The highly anticipated, Ticketmaster-bustingTaylor Swift Eras Tour has officially begun. And it’s looking like the pop star is pulling out all the stops to deliver a heap of spectacle.

Case in point—a video from the “Anti-Hero” pop star's kick-off concert that’s making quite the splash online.

In a mesmerizing blend of live performance and hologram wizardry, audiences saw Swift, clad in a flowy red dress, dive into a pool built into the stage. She then swam across to emerge through waves in a shimmery jumpsuit, just before climbing a ladder and disappearing into a cloud.

Basically, it was like a romantic fairy tale brought to life.

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