St Elizabeth Hospice held their first ever Pet Pageant in July and the winners have now been announced – including a tortoise, dogs, horses and a lizard.
The competition, launched virtually, was fundraising for the hospice’s #HereTogether campaign which was designed to counteract the financial impact of Covid-19 on the charity.
The owners handsome hounds, cuddly cats, furry, feathery and scaly animals, entered photographs into the various categories such as Best Smile, Best in Show, Golden Oldie and Extraordinary Exotics.
The cost to enter the competition was just £2 and the panel of judges included representatives from sponsor Christchurch Veterinary Surgery, Jollyes - The Pet Superstore and Morrisons.
Roxy the dog won the most important Best in Show award with an adorable photo taken at a family barbecue. Owner Sue Tunaley received a Morrisons’ hamper as her prize.
Sue said: “She is a lovely dog and has been with us for almost a year now and is very well behaved and good with other dogs and people.
“Her only issue is she will jump on anybody’s lap with no warning and is often found on the kitchen table looking out of the window.”
Jessie Leggett’s daughter Esmae won the Junior Handler category with her pony Peanut after sending in a photo of the two out on a walk.
The mum said: “Esmae can’t wait to tell Peanut the good news.
“They have been best friends for four years now and as Esmae has a genetic condition that affects her muscles, being able to ride Peanut is amazing exercise for her and so good for her balance.”
Joanne Rodger, Events and Challenges manager at St Elizabeth Hospice, said: “Congratulations to all our winners and thank you to everyone who entered their cute pets into our first ever Pet Pageant and making it a great success.
“We have all enjoyed seeing the numerous adorable photos and the judges had to make some tricky decisions to decide who the worthy winners should be.”
She added that as lockdown has hampered their ability to hold fundraising events, the virtual Pet Pageant has been a great way to raise money while observing government guidelines.
All winners received a £10 voucher for Jollyes.
MORE: Hospice could cut jobs as coronavirus hits income
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here