Calendar contest: Votes needed for cutest pet

Top 13 handicap pet photos will be selected of the 136 entries
By Polly Lynn Mikula
MENDON—Tracey Fowler of Mendon has entered her pets in a calendar contest and is seeking local support. The top 13 most popular photos will earn their place as the months of the 2017 Handicappedpets.com Calendar, plus one lucky pet will make the cover! During the month of August, participants can vote for their favorite pets by “liking” the image on the Facebook page: facebook.com/HandicappedPets.
Fowler’s photo is of two handicap dogs: Kenny and Health. “Kenny has passed, but Heath going strong,” she said. “These dogs just melt your heart… we loved Kenny more than anything and this is sort of a tribute to all who know and loved him, too.”
Fowler has adopted many other handicap dogs and has found purpose in their care. “After adopting Hayden and falling in love with him, I missed the rolling of the wheels after he passed last year,” she explained. “He was so happy.”
Many have said to Fowler, in various ways, that these dogs should have been put down instead of rescued, but Fowler strongly disagrees. “You should see them,” she said. “They don’t even know they’re handicap, they go racing around and are clearly just as happy as any dog.”
HandicappedPets.com, based in Amherst, N.H., was created in 2001 to support the caretakers of elderly, injured, and handicapped pets. It offers products, services, and support for pet owners with special needs pets. The proceeds of the calendar contest go to a foundation for people who can’t afford carts for their animals — dogs, cats, or even lambs (yes, Lilly the lamb is a finalist in the contest). There are 136 finalists pictured on the Facebook page. They are listed in alphabetical order. Voting is open until Aug. 31.
“Please vote for my Kenny and Heath,” Fowler said. “While Kenny is no longer with me, it would mean the world to me to have him remembered in a calendar.”
For more information or to vote visit facebook.com/HandicappedPets.