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Trumbull alpaca reigns as top dog in cutest-pet benefit in Boardman
By ELISE McKEOWN SKOLNICK
BOARDMAN
The Walmart store parking lot was a dog’s world — but the first-place award in the Cutest Pet Contest went to an alpaca.
Pet owners brought their animals to the event Saturday, not only hoping their pet would be crowned cutest, but also to help out the American Cancer Society.
The event was part of the Boardman Walmart’s Relay for Life Team’s efforts to raise money.
The team will participate for the seventh year in the relay event July 6 at Poland Seminary High School.
“Here with the store, and just with family and friends, we have so many people that we know that are battling cancer or touched by cancer,” said Jennifer First, team captain.
The contest was open to any animal that could be leashed or placed in a carrier. The 16 entries were mostly dogs, but a cat and an alpaca also put in an appearance.
Three judges — family and friends of relay-team members — rated each animal on a scale of 1 to 10.
“It’s judged on cuteness alone, not outfits, just cuteness factor,” First explained.
In the end, Sharp Dressed Man, also known as Tinker, a 6-month-old alpaca, took top honors. He sported a red, white and blue bandanna around his neck.
“It’s exciting,” said Tinker’s owner, Sherri Harshman of Greene Township in Trumbull County. She will hang the blue ribbon above his stall in the barn. “It’s awesome. And it is for a good cause. And I got a kitty, too.”
Angels for Animals was invited to be part of the event to raise awareness of the animals waiting to be adopted.
“That’s the real prize at the end of the day,” Harshman said. “The kitty got a home.”
The cat had been abandoned at the animal-welfare organization.
Diana Garriel of Youngstown brought her black and white cockapoo, Lexi, to the event.
“I think she’s so adorable. I thought she’d win,” Garriel said. “I dressed her up real cute.”
The 1-year old dog wore a pink tutu and ear bows. The event is fun, Garriel said. “It’s for a good cause,” she added.
Her mom, Dolly Testa, a breast-cancer survivor, came out to support Lexi and the relay team.
“It’s very good,” Testa, also of Youngstown, said of the event. “It gets the people involved [in relay] who usually aren’t, a different group of people.”
The event also included an auction and bake sale.
Last year, the Walmart team raised $6,000, First said. They hope to raise at least that much again this year.
“We’re about halfway there,” First said. “Hopefully, with the turnout today and then we have a couple other events coming up, we’ll get real close.”