Around this time every year, New Yorkers congregate in Tompkins Square Park to parade their pets around in miniature Halloween costumes. On paper this sounds like a cute Saturday, right? That’s what I thought—until I brought my camera to the event and got depressed. All of the dogs looked miserable.

New York magazine’s the Cut recently argued that dog Halloween costumes should be illegal, and I’m starting to see their point. On Saturday, most of the pups were dressed in bulky and restrictive outfits: masks, hats, wigs, chains, glasses on their faces, which when shook off would be put right back on, eventually breaking most of their wills. There wasn’t a lot of room to move, and when cameras flashed, the owners did their best to try and physically force the dogs to pay attention. Poor little guys. As funny as some of the costume ideas were, I couldn’t help but empathize with all those sad puppy eyes whispering, “Save me.” I wouldn’t be surprised if the animals held a grudge, and their owners wake up one morning strapped down wearing a wig.

Here are the photos I captured at the parade—may they haunt you as much as they haunt me.