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Herkimer, N.Y. —
A feline duo has taken top honors in The Times’ 2013 Pet of the Year Contest.
Zipper and Luci, appearing together in pet photo number 10, were entered by Sherry Johnson and her husband, Kim Harbaugh, of Little Falls.
Zipper and Luci received a total of 3,220 votes to win the contest, earning their photo on the cover and the January page of The Times’ 2013 pet calendar, as well as a smaller copy of the photo appearing on the calendar page for each month.
Johnson said the pair of cats came into their home last year.
At the end of September 2011, she had to have a pet cat put down.
“It broke my heart,” she said.
During an Internet search for a cat to adopt, Johnson’s husband found a pair of kittens available from a Schoharie veterinary clinic. Several kittens had been placed in a box and abandoned at the clinic. Homes had been found for all but the last two.
Long-haired Lucy reminded Johnson of a cat she once had.
As for Zipper, “We couldn’t take one without the other,” Johnson said.
They brought the pair home. Luci and Zipper were about four months old and were terrified of people, Johnson said. “They spent a lot of time in the bathroom,” she said.
Johnson spent time lying on the bathroom floor, getting the kittens to trust her.
“Now they are the most loving cats,” she said.
Other pets that will be appearing in the 2013 calendar are as follows:
Max, second place with 2,660 votes, entered by Susan Finkst, of Little Falls;
Zippy, third place with 2,410 votes, entered by Bob and Lisa Harvey, of St. Johnsville;
Bé Bé, fourth place with 2,300 votes, entered by Edna Green, of Dolgeville;
Princess, fifth place with 1,910 votes, entered by Lorraine DeAngelis, of Richfield Springs;
Schultz and Sophia, sixth place with 1,350 votes, entered by Evelyn Gould, of Dolgeville;
Greta, seventh place with 1,250 votes, entered by Monica Viparina, of Little Falls;
Bristol, eighth place with 1,050 votes, entered by Brittany Pettis, of Salisbury;
Sydney, ninth place with 1,035 votes, entered by Elaine Lippert, of Little Falls;
Sara and Skyler, 10th place with 1,000 votes, entered by Dianne and Alan Baylor, of Little Falls;
Fritz, 11th place with 1,000 votes, entered by Michelle and Randy Dygert, of St. Johnsville; and
Ellie May, 12th place, with 900 votes, entered by Jane Slaboc, of Little Falls.
Proceeds support the Times’ Newspapers in Education program.
Votes, in the form of dime-a-vote donations, were cast by bringing or mailing in donations and voting coupons that appeared in the newspaper to the office in Herkimer.
The NIE program was developed to enable educators to help use the newspaper as a resource. Newspapers are placed in area classrooms during the school year.
“It provides a living textbook and learning tool for students,” said Times Publisher Beth Brewer.
A feline duo has taken top honors in The Times’ 2013 Pet of the Year Contest.
Zipper and Luci, appearing together in pet photo number 10, were entered by Sherry Johnson and her husband, Kim Harbaugh, of Little Falls.
Zipper and Luci received a total of 3,220 votes to win the contest, earning their photo on the cover and the January page of The Times’ 2013 pet calendar, as well as a smaller copy of the photo appearing on the calendar page for each month.
Johnson said the pair of cats came into their home last year.
At the end of September 2011, she had to have a pet cat put down.
“It broke my heart,” she said.
During an Internet search for a cat to adopt, Johnson’s husband found a pair of kittens available from a Schoharie veterinary clinic. Several kittens had been placed in a box and abandoned at the clinic. Homes had been found for all but the last two.
Long-haired Lucy reminded Johnson of a cat she once had.
As for Zipper, “We couldn’t take one without the other,” Johnson said.
They brought the pair home. Luci and Zipper were about four months old and were terrified of people, Johnson said. “They spent a lot of time in the bathroom,” she said.
Johnson spent time lying on the bathroom floor, getting the kittens to trust her.
“Now they are the most loving cats,” she said.
Other pets that will be appearing in the 2013 calendar are as follows:
Max, second place with 2,660 votes, entered by Susan Finkst, of Little Falls;
Zippy, third place with 2,410 votes, entered by Bob and Lisa Harvey, of St. Johnsville;
Bé Bé, fourth place with 2,300 votes, entered by Edna Green, of Dolgeville;
Princess, fifth place with 1,910 votes, entered by Lorraine DeAngelis, of Richfield Springs;
Schultz and Sophia, sixth place with 1,350 votes, entered by Evelyn Gould, of Dolgeville;
Greta, seventh place with 1,250 votes, entered by Monica Viparina, of Little Falls;
Bristol, eighth place with 1,050 votes, entered by Brittany Pettis, of Salisbury;
Sydney, ninth place with 1,035 votes, entered by Elaine Lippert, of Little Falls;
Sara and Skyler, 10th place with 1,000 votes, entered by Dianne and Alan Baylor, of Little Falls;
Fritz, 11th place with 1,000 votes, entered by Michelle and Randy Dygert, of St. Johnsville; and
Ellie May, 12th place, with 900 votes, entered by Jane Slaboc, of Little Falls.
Proceeds support the Times’ Newspapers in Education program.
Votes, in the form of dime-a-vote donations, were cast by bringing or mailing in donations and voting coupons that appeared in the newspaper to the office in Herkimer.
The NIE program was developed to enable educators to help use the newspaper as a resource. Newspapers are placed in area classrooms during the school year.
“It provides a living textbook and learning tool for students,” said Times Publisher Beth Brewer.
