There is no shortage of wonderful and cute pets in Fort Atkinson. With so many amazing entries, Fort Atkinson Online enlisted the help of a panel of judges to determine the “Cutest Pet in Fort.” We know it was an incredibly tough decision. Each member of a panel of four judges was asked to select five runners-up, for a total of 20, with those pets moving to a final selection process. We then asked members of Shannon Lyon’s Fort Atkinson High School Vet Science class to make the final choices from the 20 for first-, second- and third-place winners.
Our winners, pictured below, are: First place: “Bentley,” a pup whose breed and age were not disclosed, owned by Lora Palenik; Second place: “Guppy,” a 2-month-old kitten of unknown breed owned by Courtney Kreger, and “Aspen” and “Luci” pictured as they snuggled together. The duo of Russian blue and domestic short hair cats is owned by Lindsey Gaertig. Their ages are 5 and 1.
First Place: “Bentley”
Second Place: “Guppy”
Third Place: “Aspen” and “Luci”
Our runners-up are:
17 “Guppy”
26 “Willow”
35 “Aspen” and “Luci”
42 “Quack”
44 “Bentley”
2 “Gerald”
3 “Bogey,” aka: “Bogalicious” or “Bo”
37 “Mason” and “Benny”
38 “Jim”
64 “Frank”
13 “Ernie”
29 “Goose”
33 “Pumpkin”
41 “Lola”
10 “Jojo”
25 “Bonnie”
50 “Khloey”
15 “Beavis”
1 “Riley”
46 “Momos”
Thank you Fort Atkinson for sharing your pets. Making this album was more than a pleasure. Following are all the entries in the Cutest Pet in Fort contest.
Our judges:
• M.E. and My Pets pet supply store, with locations in Fort Atkinson and Whitewater, staff
• Jeff Okazaki, director of the Humane Society of Jefferson County
• Holly Houston, former director of both the Dane County Humane Society and the Elmbrook Humane Society, retired
• Mabel Schumacher, treasurer of the Kennel Club of Fort Atkinson
(Our judges each made selections independently of other judges. Sometimes there were duplicates. FAO editor Kim McDarison made selections to fill out the field of finalists to 20.)
Final winners — receiving first, second, and third place — were selected by Shannon Lyon’s Fort Atkinson High School Vet Science class.
A full photo album of adorable faces is below. Thanks again, Fort, for sharing these wonderful family members with us!
1 “Riley”
Dog: breed not listed
Owned by: Marcy Jewell
Age: no age listed
2 “Gerald”
Guinea pig: American
Owned by: Briana Blum
Age: 10 months
3 “Bogey,” aka: “Bogalicious” or “Bo”
Dog: Beagle/Daschund mix
Owned by: Jenni B.
4 “Vinny”
Cat: unknown breed
Owned by: Janelle Pallan
Age: 9
5 “Olive”
Cat: Maine coon mix
Owned by: Janelle Pallan
Age: 6
6 “Cosmo” and “Moira”
Cosmo: Pointer mix
Age: 6
Moira: Golden Retriever
Age: 6 months
Owned by: Anna and Greg Albert
7 “Baloo”
Dog: Leonberger
Owned by: Jacob Schneider
Age: 7 months
8 “Lori” and “Sheryl”
Ducks: Mandarins
Owned by: Jacob Schneider
Age: not listed
9 “Rocky”
Dog: breed not listed
Owed by: Kayla Kerr
Age: not listed
10 “Jojo”
Dog: Pallion
Owned by: IpicI
Age: not listed
11 “Cami”
Dog: no breed listed
Owned by: November Sadler
Age: not listed
12 Goat (no name listed)
Owned by: bweishoff
Age: not listed
13 “Ernie”
Dog: Yorkie/Mini Poodle/Chihuahua mix
Owned by: Keri Wagie
Age: 4
14 Cats (names not listed)
Owed by: Raymond Ludeman
Ages: not listed
15 “Beavis”
Dog: French Bulldog
Owned by: Deanne Kohl
Age: not listed
16 “Ripley”
Dog: German Shepherd mix
Owned by: Courtney Kreger
Age: 6
17 “Guppy”
Cat: unknown breed
Owned by: Courtney Kreger
Age: 2 months
18 “Belle”
Cat: Domestic short hair
Owned by: Ariel Boltz
Age: 15
19 “Socrates”
Dog: Multipoo
Owned by: Stephanie Minor
Age: not listed
20 “Sadie”
Dog: Shiba Inu
Owned by: Richard and Kelly Stine
Age: 9
21 “Dots”
Dog: Teddy Bear Dog
Owed by: Janezoe
Age: 10
22 “Josie”
Dog: Pug
Owed by: Janezoe
Age: 13
23 “Chester”
Dog: Sheepoo
Owed by: Janezoe
Age: 3
24 “Shadow”
Cat: Domestic short hair
Owed by: Janezoe
Age: 2
25 “Bonnie”
Guinea pig: American
Owned by: Hailey Droster
Age: 8 months
26 “Willow”
Horse: Morgan/Paint
Owned by: Hailey Droster
Age: 14
27 “Mushroom”
Cat: Domestic short hair
Owned by: Molly Squires
Age: 5 months
28 “No name listed”
Dog: no breed listed
Owned by: Rosa C. Lange
Age: not listed
29 “Goose”
Cat: Domestic short haired
Owned by: Teagan Gray
Age: 1
30 “Almira”
Cat: American medium hair
Owned by: Mary Rinden
Age: 2
31 “No name listed”
Cat: no breed listed
Owned by: Nikki Dingman
Age: no age listed
32 “Geronimo”
Cat: Gray and white tabby
Owned by: Jane Haak
Age: 4
33 “Pumpkin”
Cat: Orange and white tabby
Owned by: Jane Haak
Age: 4
34 “Piper”
Dog: French Bulldog
Owned by: Jen Miles Braunschweig
Age: 2-1/2
35 “Aspen” and “Luci”
Cats: Russian blue and domestic short hair
Owned by: Lindsey Gaertig
Ages: 5 and 1
36 “Tyson”
Dog: Rottweiler
Owned by” Crystal Bright
Age: 2-1/2
37 “Mason” and “Benny”
Cats: orange tabby and black domestic
Owned by: Anne Bossfeld
Age: both are 2
38 “Jim”
Dog: Yorkie/Pom
Owned by Angie Ripley
Age: 10
39 “Anastasia”
Dog: American Bulldog
Owned by: Mary Wawrzonkowski
Age: 6
40 No names listed
Cats: no breeds listed
Owned by: Alexa Wagner
Age: none listed
41 “Lola”
Dog: Bernedoodle
Owned by: Jenny Yaktus
Age: 1
42 “Quack”
Duck: no breed listed
Owned by: Lora Palenik
Age: none listed
43 “Annie”
Dog: no breed listed
Owned by: Lora Palenik
Age: none listed
44 “Bentley”
Dog: no breed listed
Owned by: Lora Palenik
Age: none listed
45 “Mimis”
Cat: Blue-eyed Siamese Lynx Point
Owned by: Melanie Skow
Age: no age listed
46 “Momos”
Lizard: Orange citrus bearded dragon
Owned by: Melanie Skow
Age: no age listed
47 “Ginger Snap”
Dog: mix
Owned by: Erica Siekert
Age: 7
48 “Lily”
Dog: mix
Owned by: Erica Siekert
Age: 7
49 “little Debbie”
Dog: Hound mix
Owned by: Erica Siekert
Age: 1
50 “Khloey”
Dog: no breed listed
Owned by: Amber Siekert
Age: none listed
51 “Abbey”
Cat: no breed listed
Owned by: Kiki Ward
Age: unknown
52 “Aspen Rose”
Dog: Golden Retriever
Owned by: Bobbie Jo Klug
Age: 4
53 “No name listed”
Cats: no breed listed
Owned by: Rebecca Bowers
Age: none listed
54 “No name listed”
Cat: no breed listed
Owned by: Rebecca Bowers
Age: none listed
55 “No name listed”
Dog: no breed listed
Owned by: Rebecca Bowers
Age: none listed
56 “Billy”
Cat: no breed listed
Owned by Patricia and Delainey Lupiezowiec
Age: 1
57 “Pikachu”
Cat: no breed listed
Owned by Patricia and Delainey Lupiezowiec
Age: 2
58 “Morty”
Dog: Pomeranian/Husky/Rat Terrier mix
Owned by: Polly Dimou
Age: 2
59 “Sadie”
Mini Donkey
Owned by: Cindy Weber
Age: 8 months old
60 “Jax”
Dog: Husky
Owned by: Marissa Weidenfeller
Age: 7
61 “Kyra”
Dog: Catahoula Leopard Dog mix
Owned by: Marissa Weidenfeller
Age: 2
62 “Daisey”
Dog: Morkie
Owned by: Melissa Miller
Age: 7
63 “George”
Dog: Weimaraner
Owned by: Paul Hable
Age: 5
64 “Frank”
Dog: Pug
Owned By: Carrie Steindorf
Age: 2
65 “Xena”
Cat: domestic shorthair tortie
Owned by: Paula Schroeder
Age: age not listed