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Sausage dog owners called the Royal Parks “killjoys” after their annual Halloween walk was cancelled over fears it would be too popular. Organisers of the Hyde Park “Halloweenie” Party have run a “friendly, community get together for families and dogs” since 2017. The event, which was scheduled to take place on Sunday afternoon, usually involves owners gathering with their dachshunds dressed up in costume. But the organisers were forced to announce on social media that this year’s walk could no longer go ahead after the Royal Parks, the charity which manages Hyde Park and seven others, intervened. In the post, the organisers said: “Unfortunately, this weekend’s walk has to be cancelled. The Royal Parks events team got in touch and is being extra cautious after all the media attention, and although we’ve never had any issues in eight years, we must follow their regulations.” One dog owner who attended the event in previous years said the cancellation was “a big shame and a bit of a buzzkill”. Social media posts advertising the walk ahead of time had attracted over 100,000 likes. The Royal Parks claimed that the gathering required a “small event” license and there was not enough time to apply for one at short notice. The organisers said: “This isn’t the end. It’s the start of something even better… we’re going online. Introducing the Hyde Halloweenie best dressed Instagram competition. Share your pup’s spookiest, funniest, or cutest costume to enter.” However, more than 200 owners defied the cancellation plea from Royal Parks, and mocked their decision as they gathered in Hyde Park. They suggested ironically that the walk was “so busy” that future editions at Christmas and in the New Year would also have to be cancelled. Roberta Manfaedini, 35, has lived locally for 10 years but decided not to attend the walk for the first time with her 10-month-old dachshund Lady Frida following the announcement. Ms Manfaedini, who is originally from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, said: “I think the main reason was that it just got like a little bit of attention from the media, because some pages started to share the walk and then the posts on social media were getting a lot of likes. “It was quite unexpected and it’s ridiculous to be honest. There’s so many other things for them to be worried about, and this is just people getting together with their dogs to celebrate Halloween. It’s not like 100,000 people were going to turn up – it’s not an event at Wembley stadium. “We’ll have to see what happens with the Christmas walk. I hope it’s just a misunderstanding, but it is a killjoy decision to cancel what’s supposed to be a lovely community event.” Danio Domingues, 44, has lived in London all his life and said he attended the event on a number of occasions with his two dogs, including this year. He told The Telegraph: “It’s a real social event and it’s a community event – it’s a big shame and a bit of a buzzkill because there was a lot of hype before. Everyone’s so friendly there.” A Royal Parks spokesman said: “Any event organiser wishing to organise a small event within The Royal Parks is required to submit an application six weeks ahead of the event taking place to ensure that every new event application is assessed appropriately and in line with park regulations to protect the space and ensure the safety and enjoyment of all visitors. “In this case, the organisers did not approach The Royal Parks to apply for an event licence and the event was unauthorised.”
