By MADDY VITALE
Dogs, a cat, a bunny and even a horse are all up for the Humane Society of Ocean City’s Pet of the Year contest.
HSOC Director of Operations Phil Bellucci said the staff and volunteers at the shelter are looking forward to another fantastic fundraiser.
“We are super-excited about our upcoming series of events, including the Pet of the Year contest. It has been an amazing fundraiser,” Bellucci said.
He said the contest raises anywhere from $8,000 to $18,000 each year for the shelter.
There are 12 contestants — and an eclectic mix at that — from pooch, Daisy, a corgi Pomeranian mix, to Bun Bun, a bunny, of course, to Cowboy, the horse, and the list goes on.
A collage of pet entries with their bios is prominently displayed at the Ocean City Music Pier, where animal lovers can drop a donation in their chosen Pet of the Year tub.
Each pet has a sponsor in the contest. The voting began in July and ends at the end of this month.
“It is a very special time reading the bios of the pets and their humans and is a testament to the huge impact our animals have on our lives and the incredible bond we share with them,” Bellucci said.
The crowning of the Pet of the Year will be announced in front of the Music Pier on Oct. 22. The finalists will help lead the pack and kick off the second annual Howl-o-ween pet parade on the Boardwalk scheduled for Oct. 22, Bellucci noted.
While all of the pets in the contest clearly are very loved and an important part of families, some have had a compelling impact on the lives of those who either rescued them or brought them into their family from a breeder or other means.
Ocean City resident, Robin Shaffer, an HSOC volunteer dog walker and photographer, has two sons.
He entered their family dog, Daisy, into the Pet of the Year contest to help raise funds for a noble cause, the no-kill HSOC shelter that nurtures and provides for so many unwanted animals each year until they find them their forever homes.
Shaffer also wanted to spotlight his rescue dog, who is a corgi Pomeranian mix.
He credits Daisy with helping to save his son’s life last year when he was having a medical episode.
“As a volunteer at the Humane Society of Ocean City, I can attest to the fact your donations are critical to the care of the animals in our no-kill shelter,” Shaffer noted of the shelter and why he entered the contest.
Daisy, like other rescued animals, gives unconditional love and has become a part of the family, he said.
“You just never know when and how someone’s castaway pet will go from rescued to rescuer. Just look at Daisy. She saved my son’s life. It was truly a miracle,” Shaffer said. “If she hadn’t barked and tugged at me to wake me in the middle of the night, I never would have heard my son struggling and gasping what would have been his final breath.”
Shaffer continued, “Daisy was part of a chain of miracles that saved his life that night. And OCNJ’s finest — our superb fire and rescue services — played a major role as well. I feel like the luckiest father that my son’s life was saved by our amazing dog and the incredible first responders.”
Shaffer set up a GoFundMe page in support of Daisy as Pet of the Year to benefit the shelter at https://gofund.me/761f4e0c.
Here is what he said when describing why he believes Daisy should be Pet of the Year:
Your generous support will benefit the Humane Society of Ocean City and Families Against Fentanyl.
Meet Daisy. She is a Corgi Pomeranian mix and a candidate for OCNJ Pet of the Year. She was rescued after spending her first six years living in Rwanda and Washington, DC. A few months after being adopted by my family in Ocean City, a miracle happened. It was the middle of the night and I was asleep. Daisy sensed my son was having a medical emergency. She jumped on my bed and barked repeatedly until I was awake. I heard my son’s last gasp for air and found him unconscious. He had stopped breathing. His lips were blue. I performed CPR until paramedics arrived.
Because of Daisy, my son is alive today. Now, she spends her days in the sun in Ocean City. She loves making people smile as she walks along Asbury Avenue, or along the beach. And she gets all the treats she can handle!
Dogs like Daisy are a gift from God and the Humane Society of Ocean City connects these gifts to deserving families. You really have to wonder…who rescues whom?
The Dog of the Year contest was created by the Ocean City Dog Park Association to raise money and awareness of the need for a dog park in Ocean City. The Dog of the Year contest first took place in 2005. Bellucci said several years ago the contest was “handed over” to HSOC when the dog park was built. The contest was changed to include all animals.
“The contest has been a favorite of pet lovers in Ocean City and throughout our region,” Bellucci said.
To vote just place a donation in the tub of your favorite entry at the Music Pier, or view the individual candidates on HSOC’s Facebook page, read their bios and donate to the pet of your choice at: HSOC Pet of the Year Contest | Facebook
