🐾 CONGRATULATIONS TO THIS YEAR’S
TOTALLY PAWESOME PET PHOTO CONTEST WINNERS 🐾
We received more than 50 submissions, ranging from sleepy cats and friendly dogs to goofy bunnies and even a majestic peacock! Each and every entry featured a special and loveable pet. Top picks were based on pup-ular vote after tallying up over 1000 Facebook likes.
First-place winners in each category will be mailed a $25 Agway gift card.
This contest is made possible by support from:
Action Shot
*1st Place* Action Shot – Oaklee
“Oaklee has been coming up to the Lodge for 3 months now and believe it, she is a hit. What better action therapy for her to ride in a resident’s basket and take in the scenery as they get their exercise ❤” Submitted by: Julie Lonergan
*2nd Place* Action Shot – Charlie
“Charlie is our neighbor who comes over, opens the front door, and goes into the house looking for our dog, Pippa. (We have a handle-type doorknob, but still!).” Submitted by: Holly Weber
*3rd Place* Action Shot – Blaze
“Blaze is a 6-year-old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and my service dog. When he’s not on duty, he lives his best life on the beach! He’s seen here at Hampton Beach soaking up the sun and playing fetch in the waves!” Submitted by: Nikki Normand
Action Shot – Pippa
“Pippa can jump as high as the doorknob, with her whole body, when she wants to go out. Here she is eyeing the unmanned plate, the ‘opportunist’.” Submitted by: Holly Weber
Action Shot – Hazel Grace
“Hazel is the love of our lives. She came to us after we lost our 2 elderly dogs. Every day, she makes us laugh with her silly antics! She is loved by all our neighbors, especially the children! Here she is with the sun on her face, and a spring in her step!” Submitted by: Robin Berlanti
Action Shot – Gandalf
“‘Quick, stop it from blowing away!’. He’s always willing to lend a paw. I was hanging my horse’s fly sheet up to wash it and the wind started to blow it upward. He’s probably around 1 year old in this photo.” Submitted by: Karen Malzac
Best Pals
*1st Place* Best Pals – Luna
“Luna is my puppy, I have trained her and taught her many tricks, all by myself! She is a good girl and I have so much fun with her! She is always by my side and gets sad when I go to school, but is so happy to see me at the end of the day!” Submitted by: Aliyah Bradford
*2nd Place* Best Pals – Dog Squad
“I’d like to submit the “dog squad” photo for the Best Pals category. From left to right: Kota, 14-year-old Pomeranian. Chance, 12-year-old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. Blaze, 6-year-old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. Phoenix, 4-year-old Pomeranian. I refer to these boys as the “dog squad” because they’re always together living the adventure life. They’re happiest when they’re together!!” Submitted by: Nikki Normand
*3rd Place* Best Pals – Rufus & Tinsley
“They are the snuggliest babies. They love to snuggle each other and me. They are also the cutest! They are full of energy and make every day better with their kisses.” Submitted by: Sierra Roberts
Best Pals – Ziva & Luna
“I’m not sure if there are any words for whatever this is…” Submitted by: Jenna Hunsinger
Best Pals – Oreo & Mowgli
“We adopted Oreo, our pup from Greece several years ago. Almost three years ago, we adopted Mowgli, our cat from Homeward Bound. Mowgli was a small kitten and within two weeks, he and Oreo became best pals. Attached is a picture of Mowgli giving his ‘big doggie’, Oreo, a hug.” Submitted by: Maria Farnsworth
Best Pals – Finn & Jake
“Finn is an energetic German Shorthaired Pointer. He is awesome because he loves to play with any other dog. He is incredibly smart which can sometimes get him into trouble! Jake is a grumbly old man but loves people’s attention. He is an English Setter with soft hair which is perfect for dog therapy. Both dogs hang out at the recovery center in Middlebury and are loved by many.” Submitted by: Owen Mayhew
Best Pals – Buddy
“Buddy is the Best Pal ever because he is always up for anything. Whether it’s riding in a tractor, chasing a frisbee, or playing dress-up, Buddy is excited to participate!” Submitted by: Irena Pavlin
Best Pals – Brodie & Jasper
“They are playful poodles who love each other’s company.” Submitted by: Eileen Leach
Best Pals – Betty
“This is our one-year-old English Springer Spaniel, Betty. She is an extremely active field dog, beautiful, sweet, kind, devoted, and fun. She is the best pal because she is my husband Fred’s constant companion and after a tough first year of trying to make it work, she has become well mannered, and a wonderful pet through Fred’s efforts of taming her.” Submitted by: Janet Greenman
Couch Potato
*1st Place* Couch Potato – CoCo
“CoCo just couldn’t make it into the chair to take her nap! This is how we found her fast asleep and puppy snoring away and her back paws were slipping under her! So may not be a couch but the best place for now to take a nap after a hard day of playing!” Submitted by: Julie Lonergan
*2nd Place* Couch Potato – Ollie
“Big and goofy!! Makes us all laugh!” Submitted by: Laura Turner
*3rd Place* Couch Potato – Angus T. MacKitten
“He plays hard and sleeps hard. He’s usually out all night and patrols our neighborhood here in Bristol. All the neighbors know him and they agree: Angus owns the neighborhood, but he allows us to lease here!!” Submitted by: John Kromer
Couch Potato – Zoe
“Zoe can purr for hours while napping.” Submitted by: Deborah Dickerson
Couch Potato – Scuppy
“Scuppy was our main lead dog on our sled dog team for 10 years. He has an excellent trail sense and has been a great hiking companion. He is now our #1 couch potato, edging out our other 4 dogs (and humans). Scuppy is an extremely loving and exuberant dog with a big personality! His pack includes his canine buds Nanu, Buddy, Moose, and his brother, Boomer, along with his humans, Ed and Nettie. We all live together on Snake Mountain in Addison.” Submitted by: Annette Picher
Couch Potato – Rambo
“Rambo is the best companion anyone could ask for! I sometimes find that he acts more like a dog than a cat! He loves cuddling, begging for food and sprinting around the house with his toys! But the best way to define him is definitely a couch potato! 9 times out of 10 you can find him cozied up in the weirdest positions!!” Submitted by: Lindsay Lalonde
Couch Potato – Gandalf
“This is Gandalf, 15 month old on Labor Day 2021. He’s taking a nap after all his adventures. He’s 15 lbs. of ATTITUDE. This is a deceiving picture of a ‘sweet little cat sleeping’. ” Submitted by: Karen Malzac
Couch Potato – Gandalf
“Gandalf, 6 months old. Already a character and assuming he has the run of the house..OK, he pretty much does..with some boundaries. Here’s the perfect place for a quick nap. On the back of Pop Pop’s chair. I know where everyone is and I get warm air (or cool) from the heat pump.” Submitted by: Karen Malzac
Funny Faces
*1st Place* Funny Faces – Theodore
“Theodore is a super silly bunny who likes to have fun!” Submitted by: Ila Corrigan
*2nd Place* Funny Faces – Finn
Finn is so awesome because he developed a cool training program required for all of the human members of HIS household including: 1. “Provide me with a variety of delicious foods and serve them on fine china and I will decide if and when I will eat.” 2. “Provide me with praise and cuddles for the hunting trophies that I leave on the from porch or bring inside through my special kitty door.” 3. “Remain very quiet during the daylight hours while I am sleeping in the mixing bowl on the top shelf in the kitchen.” 4. “Hand feed me a slice of turkey whenever you open the refrigerator even if I don’t really want it and clean up any bits I drop on the floor.” 5. “Every night at 3 am, open the front door to let me outside then 5 minutes later, open the back door to let me back inside.” 6. “Adhere to the 75%-25% rule: I get 75% of the bed and you get 25%.” 7. “Provide me with a ‘LOVE FEST’ at least 5 times per day and whenever I say and I will decide when it ends.” Submitted by: Jeffrey Heath
*3rd Place* Funny Faces – Phoenix
“Phoenix is a 4 year old Pomeranian and my emotional support dog. He is the energizer bunny with a pretty great sense of humor. He’s pictured here with a wet leaf stuck to his goggles. He came running over to me almost as if to say ‘these things should come with windshield wipers!'” Submitted by: Nikki Normand
Funny Faces – Pretty Boy
“He and his brother and two sisters are great pets! They eat bugs and parade around all day looking pretty!” Submitted by: Ginny Wilson
Funny Faces – Ella
“Ella is a consummate goof ball who starts each morning by rolling around and snorting on our bed like a maniac (as seen here).” Submitted by: Jenna & Bill Hunsinger
Funny Faces – Oliver
“Oliver has been a stray/feral cat in our neighborhood for over a year, and on February 28th, he decided to take us up on our offer to “adopt” him. He has been a little bossy with our 13-year old female cat, but that seems to be getting much better (she’s learning to stand up to him). This picture is Oliver less than a month in our home, looking like he owns the place! Those eyes!!” Submitted by: Brenda Bourdeau
Funny Faces – Nahani
“She’s silly and playful and apparently loves the VT mud season 🙂” Submitted by: Jo Bagnulo
Model Shot
*1st Place* Model Shot – Deja Blu
“This sassy little dog strutted into our home 12 years ago, took one look around and decided we would do. We’ve spent the last twelve years exploring Vermont’s back roads on foot, savored quiet evenings with her solid warmth at our sides and started every morning with snuggly kisses & frisky demands to walk NOW. Deja has convinced each of us that we are definitely her favorite. She is gentle with children, silly with other dogs, wary of cats (and veterinarians) and always eager to greet visitors (except veterinarians). Deja was a stray who ended up at a Chow rescue in Albany, NY. Please consider adopting an adult dog, there are great dogs like Deja who are waiting for their forever families.” Submitted by: Hilary Casillas
*2nd Place* Model Shot – Oakley
“He’s a handsome boy 🐾” Submitted by: Morgan Laroche
*3rd Place* Model Shot – Luna
“Luna is a one year old Australian Shepard. She is smart n spunky and brings joy to our lives everyday!” Submitted by: Kelsey Bradford
Model Shot – Pika
“Lake Champlain, the crown jewel of Vermont, provided the perfect backdrop for this glamour shot. Pika is a Karelian Bear Dog, a Finnish breed not often seen in Vermont. She is characteristic of the breed in her loyalty to family. Rarely does she let us out of her sight. If she thinks we’re going in the car, she’ll hop in as soon as a door is opened. She never wants to be left behind so consequently, she’s always with us. Karelians are hunters with with an exceptional sense of smell. Pika’s been able to outsmart our local squirrel population and for this we’re most thankful. Although she’s a fearless hunter, a good wind storm will send her scurrying under our bed! She’s the perfect companion for our rural lifestyle.” Submitted by: Jorene Doria
Model Shot – Newman
“Newman my cat 5yr old. He loves to cuddle and visits our neighbors lot.” Submitted by: Karen Shackett
Model Shot – Ella
“Ella is a sweet ten year old dog who wins the hearts of everyone that meets her. She is incredibly intuitive and intelligent. If she wants to go out or have a treat, she will gently grab your hand in her mouth and walk you over to whatever she wants.” Submitted by: Jenna & Bill Hunsinger
Model Shot – Ché
“Saint Bernard Akita puppy, Ché.” Submitted by: Jeannine M. Willson-Johnson
Model Shot – Tessa
“Tessa is a very special cat. I adopted her in 2020 at the beginning of COVID and we are the perfect match- we both have chronic health conditions and we take care of each other and have helped each other grow and heal. She can tell when I am not feeling well and will sleep on my pillow right next to my head and sniff, lick, and nudge me occasionally throughout the night to make sure I am ok. She enjoy eating treats, playing with her laser toy, napping on her climber, being brushed, cuddling and going on visits to my mom’s house. Tessa can also catch her toys in her paws when I toss them to her, and if I make kissing sounds, she will lick me on the nose! Loving and being loved by Tessa makes my life so wonderful!” Submitted by: Molly Saunders
Model Shot – Rosie
“My Rosie at 10 months old. She is a mixed breed chihuahua terrier poodle. She is a loveable dog.” Submitted by: Karen Shackett
Model Shot – Sadie
“Sadie is just beautiful and she knows it! We rescued her less than a year and a half ago from Homeward Bound. We love her and her unique personality.” Submitted by: Joe & Kelly Dragon
Model Shot – Obi
“Sweetheart of a cat owned by Molly and Todd Flint of Salisbury. The collar protects songbirds who fly away from bright colors, and protects the cat at night if running across the road with the reflection of light from the collar.” Submitted by: Sarah Wakefield
Model Shot – Oaklee
“Oaklee enjoys her rides in the front seat of my car and what better way to do it, in her new bed! Don’t I look cute and pawesome!!” Submitted by: Julie Lonergan
Model Shot – Mona
“Such an adorable personality. Very friendly and playful.” Submitted by: Jennifer DeCarlo
Model Shot – Kota
“Kota is a 14 year old Pomeranian. Despite his age, he still lives his best active life and loves to hike, swim, play in the snow (as pictured here), and chase his big dog friends around. ” Submitted by: Nikki Normand
Model Shot – Hadley
“…. No matter how many mistakes I have made that day….She gives me a hug every time I walk into our house.” Submitted by: Mary Cullinane
Model Shot – Gandalf
“He’s 6 months old in this picture. Like his namesake he appears out of no where and I don’t know how he got up here. I woke up from sleeping in the chair (it was around 12:00am) and there he was. Underneath deer head and photo shelf is a thin digital TV, not other furniture near by that he could have jumped from. He’s now 18 months old, weighs in at 15 lbs. and the other day I caught him eyeing the two larger (almost twice the size as one above) deer head mounts in the kitchen! He certainly keeps us entertained.” Submitted by: Karen Malzac
Model Shot – Gandalf
“Gandalf- 18 months old. Helping to add oil to my vehicle. He’s always ready to help, NO MATTER WHAT THE JOB IS. Here he’s also trying to break into “Show Biz” by advertising for Quaker State motor oil.” Submitted by: Karen Malzac
Model Shot – Finn
“Finn is an energetic German Shorthaired Pointer. He is awesome because he loves to play with any other dog. He is incredibly smart which can sometimes get him into trouble!” Submitted by: Jennifer Mayhew
Model Shot – Edie
“She is very sweet and very pretty. She loves to cuddle and play with her toys.” Submitted by: Sandra Archibald
Model Shot – Clover
“Clover is one of a kind! She really is a human, in her own mind!” Submitted by: Steven & Jodi Bachand
Model Shot – Blue
“This is my oldest daughter’s dog, Blue! He is a silver lab and is 7 years old. We got him as a puppy and his devotion to Harper is incredible. He sleeps with her every night, knows just when she is getting off the bus (before the bus even arrives) and waits for her to come home by peering out her bedroom window all day. He was the first family pet on our “Wilson Funny Farm” and he loves his family just as much as we love him!” Submitted by: Kristen Wilson
Work Companions
*1st Place* Work Companions – Blaze
“He’s a 6 year old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and my Service Dog. He is a medical alert and response dog, meaning he is trained to alert to sudden oncoming changes in my health, make quick decisions, and act accordingly. Because of him, I am able to live a full, independent life and safely do things that I couldn’t without him by my side. He is my hero without a cape.” Submitted by: Nikki Normand
*2nd Place* Work Companions – Angus
“When Angus was a kitten he often would help me with my work in my home office.” Submitted by: Darla Senecal
*3rd Place* Work Companions – Gandalf
“This is ‘Gandalf the Grey’ aka Gandalf. He’s 10 months old in this picture. He’s always around willing to help or give his opinion. In this case the staging passed inspection for safety (he’s the resident inspection officer, among his many other titles, and we were able to replace/repair windows damaged in the tornado that went through April 2021 here in Middlebury. He keeps dad company during the day while I’m at work. When they aren’t ‘working’, they sit together in the garage and have “Man Talk’ while watching the cars go by on the road. I got him from Homeward Bound 9/2020.” Submitted by: Karen Malzac