WITH excitement building for London 2012 , dogs and their owners are being given their own shot at Olympic glory.

Four-legged champions will be competing for gold medals at their own version of the Olympiad on Bank Holiday Monday.

And while demand for tickets has not been as high as the real thing, it promises to be a highlight of the year for fans of canine agility.

The Doglympics, which will be held at Carterton Recreation Ground, in Alvescot Road, is open to all dogs, regardless of whether they have a pedigree.

The event is being organised by the local support group of the charity SNIFF 5000, which trains dogs to help people with life-threatening conditions, giving greater independence and saving lives. Organiser Heather Shute said the charity had the potential to save many lives. She said: “The aim of our group is to provide SNIFF 5000 with as much funding as possible. By staging Doglympics we are confident we can make a positive contribution to this charity’s funds.

“We also want dogs and their owners to have a fun day out.”

The support group has already raised almost £10,000 for the charity – equivalent to the cost of sponsoring one dog through its training and working life.

Events include a timed sprint over 30m, a high jump, a long jump and a 20m creep.

The Doglympics take place at Carterton Recreation Ground, Alverscot Road, Carterton, from 1pm on Monday.

Registration is £1, then 50p for each event.