The Instagram page invited dog lovers to vote for the "fattest dog in Delhi," with 64 dogs entered and narrowed down to 8 finalists amid enthusiastic supporters using posters, memes, and campaign videos.
New Delhi is abuzz with a unique contest as city residents and dog lovers across India flock to vote for the "Chonkiest Dog of Delhi," with the final round scheduled for this Wednesday.
It began with the Instagram page "Fat Dogs of Delhi," created to showcase chubby dogs in the city. It opened for public nominations of favorite dogs to join the contest, initially a lighthearted event that unexpectedly grew into a serious competition featuring campaign posters, support videos, and memes to garner votes.
The contest started with 64 dogs paired into 32 matchups, where followers voted for winners in each. This narrowed the field to 32, followed by knockout rounds, leaving only 8 finalists now.
Contestants have catchy names such as "Dahi Balli," named after a popular North Indian street food, "Gugu," "Rambabu," and "Gutta Singh," which literally translates to "dog lion."
One leading contender attracting attention is "Gugu," a male mixed breed weighing 46 kilograms (about 101 pounds). He currently resides at an animal care center in Delhi and is undergoing weight management with controlled diet, regular health checks, and efforts to reduce his weight.
Gugu’s nominator said they first found him in a park in 2021 when he weighed less than half his current size. Gugu's fans have made posters and social media campaigns encouraging votes, with some even calling him the "GOAT" or "Greatest of All Time."
The contest has gained support beyond New Delhi, including from Kerala and Kolkata. The organizing page has grown by thousands of followers, and the large voting turnout surprised the organizers who did not anticipate such popularity.
However, the contest has faced criticism that highlighting dogs’ overweight condition as a selling point might mislead people into viewing obesity as admirable, despite its health risks and potential to shorten dogs’ lifespans, and possibly encourage overfeeding.
Organizers stated they want to channel the contest’s popularity to benefit stray dogs by promoting animal rescue groups and individuals raising funds to care for these animals.
The competition also reflects the complex relationship Delhi residents have with the many stray dogs in the city, some treated as community pets cared for by locals, shop owners, and workers, but concerns remain about dog bites, pack behavior, and rabies in certain areas.
For the final round, organizers plan to set up ballot boxes at three locations across New Delhi for in-person voting alongside online votes after weeks of campaigning and voting, soon revealing which pooch will claim the title of Delhi’s chubbiest dog.
. Source :BBC
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