A Mountrath dog has beaten off competition from over 1,600 other adorable puppies to be crowned Puppy of the Year by Petmania in what is the eight year of the annual competition.
Donut, an English Mastiff puppy owned by Jacinta Parkinson, was the finalist for the Portlaoise Petmania store and “won the hearts of the judges because of his chilled and clever personality”.
“Despite his size, he’s a very young puppy and loves to help his mum and owner, Jacinta, and visit the children with autism that she works with, who love to see him coming,” said the organisers.
Donut and his proud owner received a prize worth €1,500, including a year’s supply of dog food from Beta, a 12-month grooming care plan with Petmania, a two-night staycation in a dog-friendly hotel courtesy of Blue Book, as well as a professional photoshoot and a brand ambassador contract.
“The best start to the weekend was hearing Donut was selected as Puppy of the Year,” said Jessica.
“Thanks to all those who voted for my big little baby, I cannot wait for him to start this exciting new role.
“Donut has filled my heart with happiness, and I am delighted that he made it to the final, never mind winning the title.”
The annual Puppy of the Year competition was open to puppies aged 12 months and under, and entries for the competition were open during the month of September with every single puppy entered receiving a free puppy pack, sponsored by BETA dog food.
Successful candidates were contacted after this period with 16 finalists selected to go through to the finale.
In second place was gentle labrador retriever, Molly Saoirse, a therapy puppy for Clonakilty Community Hospital in Cork, while in third place was cocker spaniel puppy, Biscuit Dunphy, from Roscommon.
Speaking about this year’s Puppy of the Year contest, Petmania’s spokesperson Emily Miller, says:
“This year’s competition has been so much fun. We had over 1600 entrants and 10’s of thousands of votes cast in-store and online so it’s a thrill to see Ireland’s puppy owners get so involved.
“Choosing a winner today the final 16 was very tough. The commitment that all the puppy parents have made to their pup’s training is evident – and we are delighted to have each and every one of them as the puppy of the year representing their local store.
“We are really excited to have Donut as the overall winner and look forward to working with him and his owner as a brand ambassador over the coming year, it’s going to be a lot of fun.”
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