Birdy wins local pet photo contest

The results are in and Birdy is top dog in Starved Rock Country.

Next step is the international competition that kicks off Saturday, April 2, for 48 hours.

“I’m so excited to have Birdy represent the studio in the international competition,” said Ottawa photographer Annette Barr. “She has a lot of personality and has a real shot of taking the title.”

Thanks to the $99 fee collected from participants in the bracket-style competition, $2,000 was raised for 2nd Hand Ranch’s low-cost spay and neuter program.

Barr joined forces with a group of professional photographers throughout the country, as well as Canada, to run competitions benefitting local charities. The local winners are now competing for the international prize, which includes additional funds for the winner’s local charity.

“We are so honored,” said founder Nancy Johnson-Timmons on the 2nd Hand Ranch Facebook page. “We are taking limited numbers (of applications) for the spring as Miller Vet is crazy busy with farm babies, but we are taking applicants and can now continue with this great funding!”

Birdy is a soon-to-be 2-year-old German wire hair pointer who lives with her two moms, Kristen and Leslie Fox, of Ottawa, and her two canine brothers, Winston, 10 and Brandon, 8.

“Her favorite pastimes are taking all the attention away from her brothers in any way possible, playing in mud, being our neighbors 6 a.m. alarm clock, hiding every pair of our Bombas socks, afternoon naps, getting autumn leaves stuck in her beard, getting mud stuck in her beard, getting food stuck in her beard,” said Leslie Fox of her animated pup.

Heartland By Hand, Play and Stay Dog Lounge, Janine Irene Jewelry, Prairie Fox Books, A Mess of Things, and Perfect Moments Event Shoppe were sponsors of the contest.

Go to https://woobox.com/ne7yoz to vote in the Pooch Playoffs 2022 International