Unfortunate and stupid pets who've done dumb things like eat more than 100 rocks and chase a fly onto a hot wood stove are in the running for a 'prestigious' prize.A US insurance firm is looking for an animal to award their Hambone award to, for the most unusual claim of the year -- and they have plenty to pick from.
The 12 pet shortlisted for the title -- named after the inaugural winner, a dog who ate an entire Thanksgiving ham while stuck in a refrigerator -- all made full recoveries and received insurance reimbursements for their daft accidents
Previous winners include Labrador retriever who gobbled up an entire beehive and a bulldog who swallowed 15 baby pacifiers, a bottle cap and piece of a basketball.
The shortlist:
July 2010 – Sadie the golden retriever (St. Petersburg, Fla.). A casual stroll through the neighborhood proved “otter” than most when Sadie was surprised (and bitten) by a feisty river-dweller.
August 2010 – Balboa the pug (Metairie, La.). Balboa might save curiosity for the cats after an encounter with a venomous bug left him with corneal ulcers in both eyes.
September 2010 – Moose the English mastiff (Green Valley, Ariz.). Moose’s already massive head nearly doubled in size after being kicked in the noggin by a defensive mule.
October 2010 – Howie the toy poodle (Monroe, N.Y.). This troublesome pup racked up more than 15 visits to the veterinarian before his first birthday. If that seems hard to swallow, try being Howie, for whom one of those trips was to remove an acorn lodged in his windpipe.
November 2010 – Tobey the Labrador retriever (Charlotte, N.C.). Some might say that Tobey has a bit of a drinking problem, especially after a play date with the sprinkler sent this waterlogged Lab to the veterinarian.
December 2010 – Gus the Labrador retriever (Cottage Grove, Wis.). A little over-eating always happens during the holidays, but five pounds of cookies in one sitting is excessive for any stomach. Gus learned the hard way that devouring one-eighth of your body weight impacts more than just the scale.
January 2011 – Chico the Chihuahua (Crystal Lake, Ill.). This 4-pound Chihuahua found himself caught in the middle when a Great Horned Owl challenged his owner to a game of tug of war using Chico’s leash.
February 2011 – Teuer the Jack Russell terrier (Mount Pleasant, Mich.). After a failed attempt to dive under a closing garage door, Teuer has given up his dream of becoming a stunt double for Indiana Jones.
March 2011 – Eddy the domestic shorthair (Belmont, Mass.). A housefly chase turned into a heated pursuit when Eddy leapt in the air and landed on top of a hot wood stove, burning all four paws in the process.
April 2011 – Stella Artois the Labrador retriever (Ramsey, N.J.). While a healthy serving of vegetables is generally encouraged, Stella learned there are exceptions to every rule. This pup’s dumpster dive for green beans left her with a tin can lodged firmly on her jaw.
May 2011 – Harley the dachshund (Ventura, Calif.). Snack time in the sunshine was no picnic for Harley when a stubborn seagull swooped in to steal his meal and wreak havoc.
June 2011 – Harley the pug (Manville, R.I.). Harley’s eyes may have been bigger than his stomach, but not much bigger than the 100 rocks he ingested while his owner was away.
July 2010 – Sadie the golden retriever (St. Petersburg, Fla.). A casual stroll through the neighborhood proved “otter” than most when Sadie was surprised (and bitten) by a feisty river-dweller. August 2010 – Balboa the pug (Metairie, La.). Balboa might save curiosity for the cats after an encounter with a venomous bug left him with corneal ulcers in both eyes. September 2010 – Moose the English mastiff (Green Valley, Ariz.). Moose’s already massive head nearly doubled in size after being kicked in the noggin by a defensive mule. October 2010 – Howie the toy poodle (Monroe, N.Y.). This troublesome pup racked up more than 15 visits to the veterinarian before his first birthday. If that seems hard to swallow, try being Howie, for whom one of those trips was to remove an acorn lodged in his windpipe. November 2010 – Tobey the Labrador retriever (Charlotte, N.C.). Some might say that Tobey has a bit of a drinking problem, especially after a play date with the sprinkler sent this waterlogged Lab to the veterinarian. December 2010 – Gus the Labrador retriever (Cottage Grove, Wis.). A little over-eating always happens during the holidays, but five pounds of cookies in one sitting is excessive for any stomach. Gus learned the hard way that devouring one-eighth of your body weight impacts more than just the scale. January 2011 – Chico the Chihuahua (Crystal Lake, Ill.). This 4-pound Chihuahua found himself caught in the middle when a Great Horned Owl challenged his owner to a game of tug of war using Chico’s leash. February 2011 – Teuer the Jack Russell terrier (Mount Pleasant, Mich.). After a failed attempt to dive under a closing garage door, Teuer has given up his dream of becoming a stunt double for Indiana Jones. March 2011 – Eddy the domestic shorthair (Belmont, Mass.). A housefly chase turned into a heated pursuit when Eddy leapt in the air and landed on top of a hot wood stove, burning all four paws in the process. April 2011 – Stella Artois the Labrador retriever (Ramsey, N.J.). While a healthy serving of vegetables is generally encouraged, Stella learned there are exceptions to every rule. This pup’s dumpster dive for green beans left her with a tin can lodged firmly on her jaw. May 2011 – Harley the dachshund (Ventura, Calif.). Snack time in the sunshine was no picnic for Harley when a stubborn seagull swooped in to steal his meal and wreak havoc. June 2011 – Harley the pug (Manville, R.I.). Harley’s eyes may have been bigger than his stomach, but not much bigger than the 100 rocks he ingested while his owner was away.
