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By SEAN BARRON
By Sean Barron
WARREN
Bob Barker is best known for having hosted the longtime popular game show “The Price is Right” and for being a staunch animal-rights activist, but he probably had no way of knowing he was the major factor in the simple name Susie Clay and her family gave their dog.
“The litter [of eight] was born in the middle of the winter outside,” the Howland Township woman recalled, referring to the birth of the family’s 3-year-old Labrador chow Australian cattle dog mix.
“When they were checked by my husband, he said, ‘He’s the barker,’ so he was named ‘Bob’ after Bob Barker.”
Neither Susie nor her daughter, Amelia Clay, have won major prizes like many contestants have over the years on the 44-year-old game show. Nevertheless, they did take home a ribbon and a gift certificate, because Bob took top honors in the best-dressed category in a contest during Sunday’s 10th annual Pet Celebration at Christ Episcopal Church, 2627 Atlantic St. NE.
The 3-hour community-outreach program was to bring more people to the church and celebrate the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, noted Anne Martin, event chairwoman.
Many U.S. churches celebrate the feast Oct. 4 or in late September to honor the life of St. Francis, a Roman Catholic preacher and friar who lived in the 12th and 13th centuries. He is perhaps most recognized as the Catholic Church’s patron saint of animals and the environment.
The contest’s other categories were “waggiest tail,” “best trick,” “looks most like owner” and “most unusual.” Bob won “best dressed” for having been made to resemble a Dalmatian.
Top finishers received ribbons, pictures with their pets and $5 gift certificates to Pet Supplies Plus, Martin said.
Amelia, a Howland High School senior, demonstrated some of Bob’s other talents, which include sitting, lying and getting up on command as well as giving his version of a high-five.
If a pet could have won a prize for displaying the most overt happiness, perhaps such an honor would have gone to Zoie, Sue Alexander’s 10-year-old toy fox terrier/chihuahua.
“I’ve had her for over a year. I got her from Close to Home, a Warren dog rescue,” the Niles woman recalled, adding that older dogs often are much more difficult to adopt than puppies.
When Zoie initially entered Alexander’s life, the dog was quite timid. Now, however, she is highly sociable and “the most loving animal,” said Alexander, who also takes Zoie to a dog park at Mosquito Lake State Park two or three times a week.
Also at the event were her boyfriend, Randy Cox, and their dog, Tipper, who they took home from a shelter in Twinsburg.
A major part of the festivities was a blessing of the pets gathering in the church’s courtyard in which an estimated 40 people had Father Jeff Baker of Christ Episcopal Church bestow individual blessings upon their dogs and cats.
Among them were Amanda Hoover and her brother, Jeff Hoover, who brought Taffy, a 10-year-old part beagle, cocker spaniel and pointer, along with 2-year-old Hallie, a domestic short-hair mix cat.
“We all know animals talk to us; they talk to us every day,” Father Baker said, adding that pets largely reflect God’s unconditional love.
The event also included a pet marketplace, an agility course, pony rides, various activities for children and a petting zoo that contained chicks, a pot-bellied pig, llamas, an alpaca and sheep.