Caleb Carben, 11, of Cabot shows his dog, Sage, dressed as a hunter during the annual Pet Parade in Saxonburg on Tuesday.

SAXONBURG — With a neigh, a cluck and a bark, the Pet Parade kicked off the borough fire department's annual carnival Tuesday.

Proud pet owners paraded more than 100 critters including horses, chickens, rabbits, cats, goats, ducks, skunks and a toad down Main Street for the procession that marks the beginning of the Saxonburg Fireman's Carnival, which runs through Saturday.

“It's been going on as long as I can remember,” said Brandon McCarthy, a borough firefighter who organizes the pet parade. “It kicks off the carnival. It gets family and friends together. Nothing beats that. It's always a great turnout.”

While spectators, many of whom also brought dogs, were jockeying for vantage points on the sidewalks, Doris Martynuska of Slippery Rock was in a staging area cradling Little Jed, a 7-week-old skunk, in her arms, Her sister, Ginger Carter of New Stanton, was keeping her eyes on a baby stroller carrying Ozzy, a 3-year-old skunk.

“I always wanted one. I love animals,” said Martynuska, who owns both skunks. “They're really good pets. They're really smart.”

Ozzy is housebroken and uses a litter box, she said. Little Jed's training is just getting under way.

Both have free run of Martynuska's house, but Little Jed sleeps in a cage. They get along with her dog and her Amazon parrot doesn't seem to mind them either, she said.

The skunks were purchased from a licensed breeder who de-scented them before Martynuska bought them.

Ozzy has been in the parade since he was a kit.

“I've had him for three years. This is his fourth parade,” Martynuska said.

Mackenzie Goldinger, 9, of Cabot brought Carmel, a brown and white Holland Flop rabbit she has owned for six months, and her brother Zachery, 11, brought a toad he caught in their back yard earlier in the day.

“I named him Flashy because he's real fast,” Zachery said.

Rabbits make good starter pets, the little girl said.“A rabbit is good to start out with because it teaches you responsibility,” Mackenzie added.She taught Carmel to walk on a leash, said Cindy Goldinger, Mackenzie and Zachery's mother.“That rabbit goes on the swing, goes down the sliding board,” she said.But talent isn't one of the categories in the pet parade.Hunter and Owen Bartley of Saxonburg won best of show with their bunny, King Spots, and Lori Korchok of Pittsburgh was the runner up with her dog, Goblin.The most original pet prize went to Isaac Friel of Butler and his hermit crab, Sharp Tooth.Other winners and their titles include Martynuska with Ozzy and Little Jed, most unusual pet; Caleb Carben of Cabot and his dog, Sage, best groomed pet; Holly Mead of Butler and her ducks, Golda and Gertrude, the prettiest pet; Renee Jones of Saxonburg and her horse, Pilgrim, the biggest pet; Abby Shook of Butler and her toads, the smallest pet; and Bailee Thompson of Wichita, Kan., and her horse, Inka Dinki Do, the farthest distance traveled.

Isabella leans into her job of pulling her dog, Squeaker, along Main Street in Saxonburg during the annual carnival sponsored by the Saxonburg VFC. More than 100 pets, including a toad, marched in the parade. The carnival continues through Saturday.