Posted: August 21, 2008, 5 a.m. EDT
“Singing” dogs descended on Swansea, Wales, over the weekend for a chance to take part in a tribute choir honoring legendary dog hero Swansea Jack, a Labrador Retriever who rescued drowning people – some accounts say more than a dozen – along the British town’s coast in the 1930s.
Grace Davis, who helped organize the auditions, told the BBC News that the competition was first-rate.
“We’ve had one called Zac, a Border Collie who starts singing when he hears ‘Happy Birthday’ and another called Hollywood who sings along to ‘Hooray for Hollywood,’” she said. “Angus the Jack Russell was also fantastic. He sings along to Bob Dylan.”
Linda Griffiths, Hollywood’s owner, said she discovered the Bichon Frise’s singing talent while training him. “When he would do something really good we would sing ‘Hooray for Hollywood’ and he would join in,” she said. “I would be over the moon for him if he got into the choir because he has a lovely nature.”
Project founder Richard Higlett said the dogs will record “A Song for Jack” in a recording studio on Sept. 8, and perform a special concert outside the National Waterfront Museum in Swansea on Oct. 5.
To watch clips of several auditions, click here.