More than 250 fox red Labradors gathered at Jeremy Clarkson’s Farmer’s Dog pub in Oxfordshire on Saturday (25 October) for a charity fundraiser supporting farmers’ mental health.
The second fox red Labrador meet at the pub attracted about 600 people, including dog owners and their friends, with £2 from every ticket donated to Shout’s 24/7 text support service.
The event followed the first gathering in 2024, which brought together 179 dogs; organisers were hoping to beat that total this year.
Tickets cost £5 for dog owners and £2 for accompanying friends, with every attendee helping to raise money for the mental health service.
Shout provides free, confidential mental health support by text for everyone, including for people working in agriculture.
Lookalike competition
Despite the wind and rain, visitors enjoyed a “lookalike” competition, judged by Lisa Hogan, to find the dog that most resembled the fox red Labrador on the pub’s sign.
Every dog attending received a free bag of Diddly Squat Farm Shop dog treats, while professional dog photography was also available.
The Farmer’s Dog said it was a memorable day, with the pub welcoming more wagging tails than it had ever seen in a single day.
Supporting farmers
Shout formed an alliance with Jeremy Clarkson’s Hawkstone brewery in 2024.
Through this partnership, the charity says it has held more than 500 text conversations with over 440 farmers in the past year alone.
Around two-thirds of those conversations are about work-related stress, it says, including long hours, financial uncertainty and the pressure of running a farm.
If you are struggling, you can text HAWKSTONE to 85258 to start a free and confidential conversation.
