French Bulldog Giuseppe From Branford Nabs 'Luck Of The Irish' Label Contest

NEW HAVEN, CT — The 3rd annual Luck of the Irish label contest benefiting The Greater New Haven St. Patrick’s Day Parade and the Dan Cosgrove Animal Shelter drew hundreds of participants vying for the coveted prize of being featured on the label of a special edition brew from Thimble Island Brewing Co.

The 2024 and 2025 St. Patrick’s Day Parade Grand Marshals Cathleen Steinau announced the ‘lucky’ winner of the contest and presented a check for over $2,000 to Dan Cosgrove Animal Shelter Director Laura Burban.

This year’s top prize was awarded to Giuseppe, a 4.5-year-old lilac Merle male French
bulldog from Branford.

According to his proud mom Estelle Dorsey, "Giuseppe loves long walks, naps, cooking with dad, playing with his big brother Luigi, and most of all going for rides in the car! He’s very spoiled and is definitely a mama’s boy. Everywhere he goes, people stop to pet him, and he loves all the attention."

As this year’s winner, Giuseppe is now immortalized on the label of a special edition brew from Thimble Island Brewing Co.

About Dan Cosgrove Animal Shelter

As part of their philanthropic outreach, the St. Patrick’s Day Parade committee donated over $2,000
to the Dan Cosgrove Animal Shelter, which has been helping homeless animals along the Connecticut shoreline and vicinity since April 2003. The shelter offers many programs and services to educate, inform and inspire people to take responsible care of their pets and to treat them with the kindness they deserve.

The Greater New Haven St. Patrick's Day Parade is Connecticut’s largest, free single day spectator
event attracting thousands of people to the streets of New Haven each year. The parade is a long-
standing tradition in the New Haven community and the members of the Greater New Haven St.
Patrick's Day parade committee volunteer to ensure the tradition continues. The Greater New Haven
St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Associated Irish Societies is a 501(c)(3) organization.

About Thimble Island Brewery

Thimble Island Brewing Co. was founded in 2010. Sadly, the popular establishment shuttered its
doors in May. It was named after the largest group of islands in Branford, the Thimble Islands,
located off the coast of Branford. Thimble Island Brewing Co. was known for supporting fellow
local businesses, charities and donated their spend grain to Salt Marsh Farm in Guilford to feed their
livestock.