Buster the bulldog, Geno the cat win $10K in 'America's Favorite Pet' contest
Buster, who lives in the Queen borough of New York is "famous for his soccer-ball-spiking headbutts, snores, and love of roasted chicken, captured hearts with his gentle, comedic charm," according to his profile. On the other hand, Geno is described as an "inquisitive, brave (and) treat-motivated feline."
Both winners took home a prize of $10,000 and were announced the cover stars of "Modern Cat" and "Modern Dog" magazines.
The annual online, voting-based competition, now in its 5th year, primarily works to raise funds for life-saving animal welfare support. This year it managed to raise $8.3 million for PAWS. In its five-year history, the competition has raised more than $22 Million for PAWS, making it "one of the largest philanthropic pet contests in the U.S.," Colossal said.
"Modern Family" star Eric Stonestreet hosted the competition. Colossal, in a news release, said the competition has a "dedicated 'host' partner for every campaign" and Eric, "a dog-lover and animal rescue advocate" was selected for this year's edition.
Rankings: USA TODAY ranks the Best Veterinary Hospitals for National Pet Week 2025
Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.
To participate in the competition, pet owners submit photos and profiles of their pets. There is no registration fee, and each entrant can only submit one pet, according to Colossal rules.
Over a course of nine weeks, pet advance through the competition based on how many votes they receive. Each voter earns one free vote every 24 hours while additional votes can be cast via donations with each vote costing $1. The total proceeds from this wholly benefit PAWS.
There is one dog winner and one cat winner, and each winner is chosen based on which dog and which cat earn the most votes.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Los Angeles Times
6 hours ago
- Los Angeles Times
Paula Deen abruptly closes restaurant that launched her to celebrity chef status
In the late 1990s, Paula Deen was an independent restaurateur whose family-operated restaurant had just received a glowing review from USA Today. Her life and career were permanently changed. Now, over 25 years later, the Georgia native has announced the closing of the Lady and Sons — the iconic restaurant that made her a star of Southern cuisine and a household name in the cooking world. Opened in downtown Savannah, Ga., in 1996, the Lady and Sons boasted a menu of local classics like fried green tomatoes, banana pudding and hoecakes. The signature dish, Southern fried chicken, was enough to draw lines wrapping around the block — and the restaurant came to be viewed as an embodiment of the indulgent and buttery flavors that characterize Southern cooking. 'There in Savannah, Paula Deen's homestyle Southern menu at the Lady and Sons turned me into a ravenous beast, unmindful of manners, cholesterol, North-South diplomacy and the dropped jaws of my companions,' USA Today, then the nation's most-read daily newspaper, wrote on Dec. 17, 1999. Earlier that year, the popularity of the Lady and Sons caught the attention of Food Network journalist Gordon Elliott. Deen appeared on Elliott's short-lived show 'Door Knock Dinners' that led to her own Daytime Emmy-winning Food Network program, 'Paula's Home Cooking.' On her website and social media accounts, Deen bid farewell to the Lady and Sons and its longtime fans. Also closing is her newer restaurant, the Chicken Box, which opened in 2023. 'Hey, y'all, my sons and I made the heartfelt decision that Thursday, July 31st, was the last day of service for The Lady & Sons and The Chicken Box,' Deen said in the statement. 'We will now focus our attention on the four Paula Deen's Family Kitchen locations across the country.' The announcement came without warning, especially as the restaurant continued to draw tours and lines of customers. Three weeks prior to the announcement, the Lady and Sons posted on Instagram that it was hiring for all positions. Over the years, some of Deen's other restaurants have also closed suddenly. In 2014, employees at Uncle Bubba's Seafood and Oyster House — a Savannah eatery she co-owned with her brother, Earl W. 'Bubba' Hiers Jr. — reportedly arrived to work to find the doors locked and the appliances removed. A sign on the door said, 'Thank you for 10 great years. Uncle Bubba's is now closed.' The Panama City, Fla., location of Paula Deen's Family Kitchen also closed abruptly in 2019, laying off 30 employees without advance notice. Several former employees told local news channel WJHG that they were left without their main source of income following the closure. Uncle Bubba's closure came a year after controversy began to surround Deen after a former manager at the restaurant sued Hiers, alleging sexual and racial discrimination. Food Network canceled 'Paula's Home Cooking' after Deen admitted to using a racial slur during a deposition for the 2013 lawsuit. Lawyers asked Deen if she had ever used the N-word, to which Deen replied, 'Yes, of course,' later adding, 'It's been a very long time.' Since then, the 78-year-old has focused on her restaurants. The Lady and Sons, as her core establishment, was the result of a litany of personal struggles and ambition. Both of her parents passed away when she was in her early 20s and Deen, then a young mother, struggled with depression and agoraphobia, or fear of going outside. With only $200 left, Deen founded a catering company out of her kitchen called the Bag Lady. Her handmade bag lunches were delivered by her sons Jamie and Bobby and earned Deen a local reputation for her homestyle cooking. After one attempt at a restaurant, the Lady in 1991, the follow-up, the Lady and Sons, co-owned with Jamie and Bobby, would be her success.
Indianapolis Star
9 hours ago
- Indianapolis Star
'Too far': Luke Bryan reacts to being hit by object at North Dakota State Fair
Luke Bryan says the person who threw an object at him during a concert in North Dakota went "too far" and if he'd seen who had done it, he would have taken action. "I mean, if I saw him throw it, I could have gone right to him," Bryan told Taste of Country, a major publication that mainly covers country music. "I probably would have jumped right off in there." The country music star, 49, was singing "Country Girl" during the state fair in Minot on July 26 when he was hit in the face by a small, round object. Footage recorded by a fan shows Bryan stagger as he is momentarily shocked after being hit by the item, assumed to be a small ball. However, he maintained composure, only taking a brief moment to gather himself before finishing the song. "It's the last song of the night. It was a big ole fun party, and I think one person just took it too far," Bryan said. "At that point, if I'd even stopped it and pointed somebody out, it kills the vibe of the show. Bryan did not address the incident on stage or on social media. USA TODAY has reached out to Bryan's representatives for more information on the incident, but has not heard back. It is also not known if the singer sustained injuries. The singer noted such incidents are becoming common and "every other entertainer out there is getting stuff" thrown at them. Cardi B, Lady Gaga, Drake, Lil Nas X, Zach Bryan, and Pink are among the long list of artists who've had objects thrown at them during performances. "You hope that you can see who did it," Bryan remarked, adding that when audiences throw things at performers, they are being selfish and are ruining the show for everyone else. More entertainment news: Is 'The Gilded Age' Season 3 ending this week? See episode schedule The Ward County Sheriff's Department, meanwhile, in a media release on July 29, said while it was "aware" of the videos and social media posts "concerning an item thrown at Luke Bryan near the end of his concert," there is "currently no active criminal investigation for this incident." "We currently do not have a complaint filed by Luke Bryan or any authorized representative and there is currently no information on a possible subject that may have thrown the item," the news release said, adding the item thrown at Bryan appears to be a ball, "possibly being a foam type stress ball." The North Dakota State Fair management, meanwhile, did not immediately respond to USA TODAY's request for more information on the incident. The state fair, held annually in Minot, is "a cherished tradition" and was celebrating its 60th year. The fair, held July 18-26, included a range of activities, exhibits, and entertainment, with this year's edition welcoming more than 350,000 attendees, the most ever in the fair's history, according to the Minot Daily News.
USA Today
9 hours ago
- USA Today
When is the series finale of ‘And Just Like That'? Release date, where to watch
The book is closing on the story of Carrie Bradshaw, the cultural cornerstone character loved by fans for more than two and a half decades. "And Just Like That," the spinoff of "Sex and the City" starring Sarah Jessica Parker as Bradshaw, is ending after three seasons, showrunner Michael Patrick King announced in a social media post on Aug. 1. The revival premiered on HBO Max in late 2021, featuring three of the four original stars, minus Kim Cattrall's promiscuous Samantha Jones. Following the lives of the original "SATC" women 11 years after the end of the original series, "And Just Like That" was originally billed as a one-off miniseries before being picked up for two more sets of episodes. "Carrie Bradshaw has dominated my professional heartbeat for 27 years. I think I have loved her most of all. I know others have loved her just as I have," Sarah Jessica Parker said in an Instagram post. "Thank you all. I love you so. I hope you love these final two episodes as much as we all do." Here's what to know about catching the final episodes of the series. When is the series finale of 'And Just Like That'? The series' two-part finale will air on Thursday, Aug. 7, and Thursday, Aug. 14, according to HBO Max. Where to watch the series finale of 'And Just Like That' "And Just Like That" is an HBO Max exclusive. Customers can get an HBO Max subscription via a traditional online sign-up or through their TV provider. Plans range in price from $9.99 a month to $19.99 a month. 'And Just Like That' cast As previously reported by USA TODAY, the cast of "And Just Like That" includes:
