'Hug a Pug' day a big hit in Tauranga

Mila Kidd, 5, with her pug Cash at 'Hug a Pug' day in central Tauranga. Photo/Andrew Warner.

Who would not want to hug a pug? Especially when it is for a good cause.

The Bay of Plenty Pug Club organised an event at the weekend where you could do just that for a gold coin donation.

It was a fundraiser for Wellington-based New Zealand Pug Rescue, which helps the flat-faced, heavy-breathing pooches that are given up by their owners.

Mount Maunganui's Sam Kidd, her daughter Mila and their pug Cash joined the club in May and were at Zee Markets in central Tauranga on Saturday morning for the event.

"We just wanted to help out any way we can because it's such a deserving cause," Mrs Kidd said.

They got Cash, who is 20 months old, after he was rehomed from a friend with cancer who could not take care of him anymore.

"He's awesome, he's amazing. He's just like a part of the family - like a toddler."

Mrs Kidd said Cash and 5-year-old Mila had a great time at Hug a Pug day.

"They loved it. Mila was buzzing because she is pug mad."

There was a cordoned-off area at the market where people could spend some time playing with and cuddling the dogs.

There were 14 pugs to play with and the event raised just over $300.

Event organiser Rikki-Lee Armitage said a lot of pugs were put into the care of New Zealand Pug Rescue because owners were not aware of all the complications that came with owning that breed of dog.

Pugs often struggled with ear and skin infection issues, eye conditions like dry eye or cataracts, rotten teeth, obesity and could also suffer from other inherited problems. Vet bills could be high.

Saturday's event was also about raising awareness of that, Mrs Armitage said, so would-be pug owners start doing research before buying them.

The companion dogs are not cheap to buy, so the event also gave children who have always wanted a pug the chance to play with one.

The Bay of Plenty Pug Club meets for what they call "pug grumbles" and also do some work in the community. They get all kinds of requests.

Last week they went to a mental health ward and took the pugs to do therapy with some of the young patients there.

They have also been to the birthday party of an 80-year-old pug-lover with dementia who had owned the dogs all her life.