Priceless Pets 2016

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April 27, 2016

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2016 Priceless Pets

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Priceless Pets 2016

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Elf fosters a following

BY R.E. SPEARS III EDITOR Elf Sims got a whole lot of likes on his way to handily winning the Suffolk NewsHerald’s 2016 Priceless Pets Photo Pageant.

But what this 2-year-old bull terrier mix wants most is the love of a forever family.

Elf is the first adoptable dog ever to win the newspaper’s pet photo contest, beating out 38 other entrants, including a couple of cats and a gerbil.

But if his foster mother, Natasha Sims, has her way, he’ll take this “election” success and build on it. When she shot the photos she used for the entry, Sims dressed the pup in a red bandanna and yellow badge and used the email subject line, “Elf for Sheriff.”

It’s all in a day’s work for Elf, who has his own Facebook page (“The Continuing Saga of a Dog Named Elf”) that’s regularly populated with new photos and engaging commentary from a dog’s perspective.

“I like having an alter ego,” quipped Sims, who noted that Elf’s Facebook page is part of a network set up by his fostering

agency, Bully Advocate and Rescue Collective, which rescues pit bull-type dogs from area shelters — Elf was rescued from Suffolk Animal Care — and tries to find them forever homes.

Facebook, she said, “is how they really advertise the dogs; it’s a whole environment of other people who love animals.”

Elf is Sims’ third foster dog.

She’s had him since Jan. 5.

He had been picked up as a stray by Suffolk Animal Control officers, who had discovered that he had heartworms.

Three months after beginning treatment for the potentially fatal condition, Elf is now happy and healthy and ready for a home, Sims said.

That moment when a foster dog is given over to its new family is a bittersweet one, she said, but it’s more sweet than bitter.

She recalls her first foster through BARC, a dog named Brantley to whom she’d become attached. She recalled worrying how she’d feel delivering Brantley to his new family, but when she arrived and saw how happy everyone was, she realized she would

1st place

have felt sad not being able to connect foster dog with adoptive family.

Fostering is fun and rewarding she said, and the whole experience — especially the online component — can be “really addictive,” she said.

“I am part of a community that understands my dog humor (and) doesn’t care if I post 100 dog photos in a day, while saving two dog’s lives — the one I am fostering and the one that fills my foster’s spot at the shelter,” she stated in an email.

Sims has been on both sides of the foster/adoption equation, having adopted one of her own dogs, Hamburger, an American Staffordshire Terrier, from the BARC organization. Both Hamburger and Peanut, her “Heinz-57 mutt,” have learned to accept their foster brothers and sisters into the fold.

“We do a slow introduction,” she said.

Folks interested in more information about BARC or Elf can contact Sims at n_ grandon@hotmail.com.

Elf

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Contestants

2016 Priceless Pets

Abigail and Fritz John and Ginnie Kinsey

Aurora Erin Skiba

Bailey Angela Forman

Benson Dave and Pat Snyder

Boog Alyssa Jardell

Bruce Nicole Shimek

Buckets Danny Buie

Bumper Danny Buie

Elf Natasha Sims

Ernie Betty White

Georgia Jon Ward

Gidget Tim and Candy Baines

Dyson and Grim Jennifer White

Gunther Sid Neighbours

Khai Rhonda Hines

Moose Bradleigh Duman

Knucklehead Jon Ward

Lilly Natalie Tacke

Lily Katharine and Michael Naccarato

Luna Sharlene Mullins

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Contestants

Priceless Pets 2016

Max Kevin and Terry Brady

Mitch Samantha Gizara

Murphy Chrisi Duman

Murphy Megan Farabaugh

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Nibbles Dara Melissa Dunn

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Nugget KayLynn Perry and Dale Williams

Oscar Angie and Mike Gizara

Rocco Heather Schultz

Roxi and Romeo Carmen Brown

Whiskey Abigail Duman

Winnie Mike Duman

Peanut Nicole Shimek

Precious Patricia Jackson

Prince Thad and Rebekah Faulkner

Scooter Dawn Singletary

Summer Lauren Keiser

Teddy Mike Duman

Winston JoAnn Farabaugh

Wu Michelle Martin

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Mutt 2016 Priceless Pets

A fine day for doggies

BY TRACY AGNEW NEWS EDITOR

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Get ready for the eighth annual Mutt Strut on May 1.

The Suffolk Humane Society fundraiser will take place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Bennett’s Creek Park, located at 3000 Bennetts Creek Park Road. It will feature a pledge walk, activities and games, entertainment, vendors, adoptable animals and more.

“It’s a big, family-oriented, fun time,” said Eileen Gizara, executive director of the Suffolk Humane Society. “There’s lots for the kids to do, and there’s lots you can do with your pets.”

New this year is a “pet lookalike contest,” where the pet owner judged to look most like his or her pet will win a prize.

Also new this year is a bobbing for hotdogs contest. Contests returning from past years include the Frosty Paws-eating contest and the “race the wind” contest, where police officers will break out their radar guns to measure which pup runs the fastest.

The Suffolk Public Library will bring its pop-up library, and it will be next to the therapy dogs.

“Kids can sit in the pop-up library and read to the therapy dog,” simulating the society’s

B.A.R.K.S. (Books And Reading for Kids in Suffolk) program, Gizara said.

The Heather Edwards Band will perform all day long. At 2 p.m., the pledge walk will take place, following the blessing of the animals.

Individuals or teams can register for the walk online at shsmuttstrut. dojiggy.com. The cost is $15 for each person. There will be prizes for top individuals and top teams, including an iPad Mini for the top overall fundraiser and a pizza party for up to 12 people at Sal’s for the top team.

Human pledge walk participants usually bring their pooches along on a leash or walk in honor of their cat or in memory of a beloved pet.

Numerous other activities, including a magic show, demonstrations by the Suffolk Police K-9 unit, obedience rally demonstrations and more will be available.

A pet communicator will offer services for donations, which she plans to give to the humane society.

“You never know what you might learn,” Gizara said.

Admission to the event is free, but the society does request a donation at the gate.

For more information on the event, email info@ suffolkhumanesociety.com.

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Strut Priceless Pets 2016

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Schedule of Events 11:00 Welcome/Introduction 11:15 Pawsitive Attitudes – Agility Demo 11:30 Triple T Gymnastics Demo 11:45 Suffolk K9 Demo 12:00 Portsmouth Chesapeake Obedience Training Club (PCOTC) – Rally Demo 12:15 Pawsitive Attitudes – Agility Demo 12:30 Churchland K9 – Obedience Demo 12:45 Suffolk K9 Demo 1:00 Frosty Paws Contest 1:15 Pawsitive Attittudes – Agility Demo 1:30 PCOTC – Obedience Demo 1:45 Churchland K9 – Rally Demo 2:00 Blessing of the Animals/Mutt Strut Walk 2:15 John Yeates Middle School Acapella Singers 2:30 Magic Dave (Children’s Area) Suffolk K9 Demo 2:45 Churchland K9 – Obedience Demo 3:00 Pet/Owner Look Alike Contest 3:15 PCOTC – Rally Demo 3:30 Pawsitive Attitudes Agility Demo All Day Tumble Bus BARKS Program Pop-Up Library Doggie Bobbing (contest) Race the Wind (contest) Children’s Area (coloring, face painting, crafts) Chris Stakes - Pet Communicator Basket Raffle Microchipping Rabies Vaccinations Grooming/Nail Clipping

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2016 Priceless Pets

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Priceless Pets 2016

Happiness times two

BY TITUS MOHLER STAFF WRITER

Second place in the Priceless Pets contest is made twice as nice this year because it features two dogs, brothers locked in a tie.

Murphy and Winston Farabaugh both take second, and though frustration might set in among some dogs for having to share, that shouldn’t be a problem in this case.

If there is a single bone available to chew, Murphy and Winston are literally willing to meet in the middle.

“Both of them will actually chew the different ends of the bone together,” JoAnn Farabaugh said. “There’s not an aggressive bone in either of their bodies.”

The size and age differences of the dogs makes their peaceful relationship all the more remarkable.

Murphy, a 50-pound English Setter, just turned 8 on April 11, while Winston, a 30-pound English Cocker Spaniel, is only 11 months old.

Winston belongs to JoAnn Farabaugh and lives with her and her husband Kevin Farabaugh in Suffolk. Murphy belongs to their daughter, Megan Farabaugh, who lives in Virginia Beach but works in Suffolk. She often brings him along in the back seat to drop him off at her parents’ home.

“I’ll take Murphy over to Winston’s house, and they will play all day,” Megan Farabaugh said.

A key ingredient to making the dogs’ pleasant relationship work is the gentle, passive spirit of Murphy.

“They act like brothers,” she said. “Winston always picks on Murphy,” filling the role of the eager, impulsive little brother.

“The little brother follows the big one around,” JoAnn Farabaugh said. “It’s cute to see the two interacting.”

If Winston wants a bone, Murphy lets him have it.

“Murphy is so wonderful, because if he wanted to, he could smack Winston down,” JoAnn Farabaugh said.

Prior to JoAnn and Kevin Farabaugh getting

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2nd place

Winston, they endured the passing of their beloved 13-year-old Gordon Setter, Sadie.

“I think about her just about every day,” JoAnn Farabaugh said.

She and her husband went without a dog for a short while, but she said, “We always wanted an English Cocker Spaniel, ever since we were married.”

When they saw a picture of one after losing Sadie, “we thought maybe we do need another dog in our lives,” she said.

Sadie left a hole in their hearts, but JoAnn Farabaugh said Winston is “doing his best to try to fill that hole.”

He follows her husband around like a shadow and reacts excitedly to the sound of his name.

In fact, Winston has an impressive vocabulary. To throw him off the scent that they are talking about food, his owners have to spell out words like “eat” or “treat” rather than say them. If he hears “treat,” he’ll go to the treat jar. If they say “apple,” he’ll go to the refrigerator.

Megan Farabaugh said Murphy loves peanut butter and enjoys egg yolks.

“On Sunday morning, when I’m making breakfast, I’ll fry him up an egg or something,” she said.

Murphy is her first dog she has had in her adult life, and she enjoys his fun-loving nature.

“He thinks he’s a lap dog,” she said, though his size makes this comically impractical.

Unlike Winston, Murphy gets to snuggle up next to his owner every night, though he takes up the majority of a queen-sized bed.

“He’s bred for hunting, but I made him a house dog,” Megan Farabaugh said.

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2016 Priceless Pets

Aurora enjoys the lazy life

BY TRACY AGNEW NEWS EDITOR When the Skiba family went searching for its first dog, Erin and Chris Skiba knew a bullmastiff would be perfect for them and their two children.

“We did so much research,” Erin Skiba said. “My husband’s an engineer, so he does research on everything.”

They knew they wanted a huge breed, and they settled on the bullmastiff because of its temperament and level of activity — or lack thereof.

“I went through multiple rescues, posting on every Facebook page looking for a mastiff,” Skiba said.

Eventually, her work paid off.

“A friend of a friend saw one of my posts,” Skiba said. “We were obsessed with her from the moment we met her.”

That “her” is Aurora, a 2-year-old bullmastiff the Skibas adopted about two months ago.

“She’s just a typical mastiff,” Skiba said. “It’s basically steal food, eat, sleep, drool, sit around, and that’s basically it. She really doesn’t do anything.”

The Skiba youngsters, 7-year-old Chase and 12-year-old Cameryn, love Aurora.

“They’re obsessed with her,” Skiba said.

The other household

pets, however — a cat and two guinea pigs — are not in the Aurora fan club.

“They don’t mesh very well together,” Skiba said. “They’re all separated.”

Tricks aren’t Aurora’s specialty, in keeping with her lazy personality. However, she does love to ride in the car, and she wins over everyone who meets her, Skiba said.

“Her tongue is always out,” she said. “Everybody who meets her falls in love with her. She’s like another child.”

Skiba boosted her pup to the third-place finish in the Priceless Pets Photo Pageant with the same amount of dedication she put into finding her.

“I had shared the page to try to get people to vote,” Skiba said.

“All my coworkers voted.”

3rd place

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Aurora

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Priceless Pets 2016

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2016 Priceless Pets

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