Lakefield’s Owen the Griff is heading to New York after taking social media by storm

With more than 37,000 followers on Instagram, Owen the Griff is making his mark on social media.

Owen is a 10-year-old Brussels Griffon, living in Lakefield with his owners, Lisa Besseling and Marelon Hazelwood.

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Lisa says she created an Instagram account for Owen because she didn’t want to bore her friends by posting multiple pet pictures throughout the day.

“I’m taking pictures of him daily, he’s just too cute,” Lisa explained. “And so the account just kind of took off.”

Owen’s social media fame has led to a trip to New York next weekend for the trio. He’s a guest at PetCon, a convention for famous four-legged social media stars and their owners.

Marlon Hazlewood, Owen’s co-owner, works as a photographer in the Kawarthas.

He said he often imagined he’d get to visit New York as an artist.

“But I’m going to New York for the first time because of my dog,” Hazlewood said.

Both say Owen’s internet fame isn’t surprising. According to them, he’s the greatest dog in the world.

“We just think, in a world, with the news as it is today, if this little guy is going to make you smile, I’m happy to keep posting his quirky little Instagram stories,” Lisa said.