Registration starts at 7:30pm on September 30^th. *Please check your ticket for your exact registration time* 

To ensure you have plenty of time to savour the experience of The Big Paws and make the most of this special event, we'll be spacing out start times. This means you can arrive, take in the ambiance, and soak up the good vibes without feeling rushed. Whether you want to snap some paw-some pics, enjoy the music, or simply relish the lights and atmosphere, you'll have the freedom to do it all.

The Malahide Castle Event walk will be about 3.5km long, but it will be done at a slow pace as there will be lots of lovely lights and sights to take in as you stroll through the forest.

The length of the Regional Event walks may vary, so please contact your local organiser for more information.

The Solo Walks can be as long or as short as you like!

We will be sending all The Big Paws packs in September; you will have them in plenty of time for the big day!

If you purchased your ticket on or after Monday the 25th of September, your pack will be available for collection at the event.

The packs for each event type (National, Regional and Solo) will differ slightly, but each pack contains goodies so that you can show your support for The Big Paws.

Malahide Castle Event

Dog tickets are now sold out. If you have purchased a dog ticket, please ensure your dog is well behaved, and comfortable around other dogs, people, and large crowds. We’ve provided a handy flowchart to help you assess whether your dog may or may not enjoy attending a busy event.

Every dog must be kept on a lead at all times and be held by an adult.

As this walk is in a public space, if you have a dog ticket, please remember to adhere to the relevant legislation outlined in the Control of Dogs Act. If your dog is a 'restricted breed' they will need to wear a muzzle. 

Please be considerate of other attendees as some may not be comfortable around all dogs and ensure that you pick up after your dog on the walk.

Note: Please do not bring your dog to the national event without a dog ticket, as entry is not guaranteed.

Community Events

Please contact your community event organiser to see if your dog can attend this walk with you. They may have limited dog spaces. Our handy flowchart will help you decide whether a group walk with other dogs and people is something that your dog may enjoy. If the walk is in a public space, we would remind people who are bringing their dogs to adhere to the relevant legislation outlined in the Control of Dogs Act.

National Event

The national event is family friendly and is suitable for children to attend once you have booked a child’s ticket(s). The walk will be roughly 3.5km long, in case you need to bring along a buggy for little legs that might get tired.

However, as there will be lots of other people and dogs at this event, they may not be suitable for children who are anxious around dogs or who find large groups of people overwhelming. If your child is anxious around dogs, we have resources available which may help. Check out www.BeDogConfident.ie for more information.

If you feel that your child wouldn’t be comfortable on the bigger walk, why not check out a regional walk in your area, or organise your own family walk?😊

Regional events

Please contact the regional event organiser to see if their walk is suitable for children to attend.

There are no tickets attached to regional events however we would appreciate a donation to support our work in rescuing, rehabilitating and rehoming dogs across Ireland. By donating, the memory of your best friend will live on forever and make tails wag every day.

The organiser of your regional event will share a fundraising link if you want to donate online. Find out who your local organiser is here.

There are no tickets attached to solo events however we would appreciate a donation when you sign up to support our work in rescuing, rehabilitating and rehoming dogs across Ireland. By donating, the memory of your best friend will live on forever and make tails wag every day. Register here

We understand that sunset or evening time may not work for everyone’s schedule so you can organise your regional or solo walk at any time that suits you.

Thank you for your interest in hosting a regional walk to celebrate The Big Paws with Dogs Trust. Our canine friends leave giant paw prints on our hearts when they pass, so we would love to have you on board to help bring this special new commemoration to dog lovers nationwide. Please follow this link to register your interest. We will call you in the following days to tell you more about what will be involved in running a local event.

When you sign up to organise a local event, we will call you to arrange delivery of your pack. This will include materials to help you promote your event, such as posters and more!

To take part in a walk near you, check out all the regional events that have signed up so far here. You will see the organisers’ contact details listed, please phone or email them directly to book your place.

We hope for more organisers to get in touch over the coming weeks and we will be updating this page with their details, so please check back soon if none suit you now.

If you would like to organise a walk for a group of friends and family or for your wider community, please follow this link. If you would like to register a group of colleagues, please let us know here.

Thank you for your interest in supporting The Big Paws, it means so much to dogs and pups that need a second chance at happiness.

There are several ways you can support the cause and event.

Join us and celebrate that special bond we share with dogs in Malahide Castle, Co. Dublin.

Get tickets

You can organise your own regional The Big Paws event for your community or family/friends and raise vital funds for dogs in need.

More information on regional events

You can take part as a solo walker by donating as much as you wish.

Register here

Or, if you would like to support Ireland’s abandoned and forgotten dogs without taking part in a walk, you can click the button below. Thank you so much for your incredible support.

Big Paws donation page 

We have a range of opportunities for your company to get involved in this year’s The Big Paws, such as event sponsorship, support, corporate volunteering, or product sponsorship. If your company would like to get involved this year, please contact Ailbhe White, Partnerships Manager at [email protected] to learn more.

We would love for you and your colleagues to get involved this year. Why not host a lunch time walk or gather in your local park or walkway. To register your interest or to learn more about how you and your company can take part, please email Louise Regazzoli [email protected]

We would be delighted to have your school take part! Please contact [email protected] for information on how your school can get involved.

While we would love if you could fundraise, we understand not everyone is in a position to do so. If you would like to create a fundraiser for the event, please let us know via [email protected] or click here to make a one-off donation.

Every donation made toward The Big Paws will help to provide a cosy bed, veterinary care, nutritious food and, above all, love to dogs urgently in need. Your generosity directly contributes to creating a brighter future for these deserving furry friends.

Of course! If you would like to support Ireland’s abandoned and forgotten dogs, you can click here to donate.

Of course! Whether you are raising money through a local walk or with friends and family, please name your fundraising page clearly so we know that your efforts are to celebrate The Big Paws with Dogs Trust.

Outside of the official ‘The Big Paws with Dogs Trust’ National Event, Dogs Trust will be the grateful benefactors of any events organised, but we are not involved in organising the walks associated with ‘The Big Paws with Dogs Trust’ and will have no responsibility for any injury or loss arising from this activity.

If you are organising a regional, local, or solo activity please ensure that all necessary precautions are taken. Dogs Trust cannot accept any liability for the wellbeing of those taking part.

We understand the grief and sadness when you say goodbye to your dog. They are perfectly normal feelings, as you bid farewell to the dog who played such a huge role in your daily life. What can be even tougher, is feeling misunderstood by those who have not had the privilege to experience this love or known such a devastating loss. Often, there is no safe space to talk, to cry, to ‘paws’ and reflect of the imprint left on you forever.

If you do not feel ready to attend The Big Paws, or are concerned that your dog may cross the rainbow bridge soon, please see: www.DogsTrust.ie/NotJustADog for supportive information.

We understand that when your dog passes away it can lead to feelings of loneliness and grief. Experiencing these feeling is perfectly normal as you bid farewell to the dog who played such a huge role in your daily life.

The Dogs Trust Legacy Garden is a beautiful place where you can go to remember and pay tribute to your best friend. A place where you know you're amongst friends who understand the sadness you're feeling. And it's here that we hang your specially engraved name tag honouring your dog, ensuring their memory can live on.

For more information, or to honour your friend with a dog tag, visit www.DogsTrust.ie/LovedForever

Sometimes it can be hard to understand the feelings of grief another person goes through. Our #NotJustADog campaign approaches the subject of grief when losing a furry best friend and may help you to understand. Read more via: www.DogsTrust.ie/NotJustADog

The Dogs Trust Legacy Garden is a beautiful place where someone can go to remember and pay tribute to the dogs who have left a pawprint on their hearts. A place where they know they are amongst friends who understand the sadness they are feeling. You can purchase a specially engraved name tag honouring their dog, ensuring their memory can live on. For more information, or to honour a dog with a tag, visit www.DogsTrust.ie/LovedForever

We have three different ways of taking part in The Big Paws so that everyone has the opportunity to take part and celebrate the lives of the dogs they love:

National event

There will be a magical event including a walk in Malahide Castle, Co. Dublin, where we will come together to remember our four-legged friends and mark the incredible effect they have on our lives.

Get tickets

Regional events

If you are unable to attend the National event in Malahide Castle, you can still take part in The Big Paws. Why not gather your special community of dog lovers and organise a walk in your local area to ‘paws’, celebrate and remember together on September 30^th. You can also check if there is already a walk being organised in your area that you can join.

Learn More

Solo walkers

If you feel that you are not yet ready to share your grief with others or if you would rather commemorate your four-legged friend on their favourite walking route, you can still take part in The Big Paws. Join with Ireland's dog lovers as you walk a route that is special to you. We will send you a pack in the post to help celebrate the bond that you're commemorating. .

Register here