Westlake Historical Society holds annual pet contest

Mandy

It’s time to announce the winners of the 2023 Cutest Pet in Westlake contest!

The contest is broken down into 4 divisions: Cat, Senior Dogs over 9 years, Dogs 2 to 9 years old, and Puppies. Our winners are listed in that order. Westlake is home to so many fabulous pets. Our judges always have a difficult time selecting our winners.

This year we have: Mia, a Russian Blue cat; Mandy, a Puggle; Farrah, a Labrador Samoyed; and Denali, a Giant Schnoodle.

Here is some backround information on each of our winners.

Mia is part of the Elswerth Family and she got her name from the Spanish word for “mine.” She quickly became her mom’s fur baby. This 8-year-old lady is a rescue who found her family at a Christian campground. Favorite things for Mia are morning breakfast from her daddy, Tasty Temptations, playing with her laser pointer, going for walks in her stroller, and enjoying naps on either her Mommy or one of her Sherpa blankets.

Mandy is a member of the Haumesser family. Her name was given to her by the rescue and her mommy decided that it suited her and chose to keep it. Choosing this breed came about when friends thought Mandy would be fit for someone they knew.  At the time, Mandy was in foster care; but her smile, love of people, and silliness made for that good fit and a match was made. We regret to note that Mandy passed over the Rainbow Bridge on Jan. 19, 2023, at the age of 13 after a courageous battle with cancer. Fruits, vegetables, ice cream, and chicken noodle soup were all food favorites. Being in the sunshine and outdoors, going on outings to dog bakeries, the lake, and dog parks with walks, getting pet, and dressing to go out were her favorites.

Nine-year-old Farrah got her name from the Vanhorns because they are both children of the 1970s, loved Farrah Fawcett, and believe the name is a beautiful one. Love at first sight on a rescue website brought Farrah to Westlake. Strip cheese, wrestling with daddy, belly rubs, long walks in the woods, and visiting friends in the neighborhood make this girl happy.

Denali is part of a Coast Guard family whose last assignment was in Alaska. He is named after the famous mountain and the name means “The Great One.” A compromise was reached when Mr. Keller wanted a big active dog, while Mrs. Keller was used to Mini Schnoodles, so a larger version fit the bill. At 18 months, Denali is fond of turkey due to allergies to most proteins, walks in the Rocky River Reservation, getting pet, swimming at Columbia Beach, the attention of being in costume contests and working as a therapy dog with students.

Congratulations to our winners and their families.

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Volume 15, Issue 4, Posted 9:44 AM, 03.07.2023