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Buddy Wins Sandicast Essay Contest!

Sandicast recently sponsored an essay contest and we've just learned that Buddy won the Grand Prize - a $1000 donation to the animal-related charity of his and Dranda's choice! Hmmm . . . wonder what charity they will select???!! Buddy and Dranda will also receive a Sandicast Original Size cast-stone sculpture signed by world-renowned artist Sandra Brue. The rules of the contest asked entrants to "capture the unique personality of your pet through a photograph and a brief essary that begins with the the words "My pet is such a character..." Here is the essay about Buddy, written by former board member Tom Gaffigan.

My pet is such a character in spite of his near-death experience and the new challenge of having only three legs. He was found on a farm in Iowa where he had been hiding for several days with buckshot wounds on his face, and a shattered front leg. He didn't have the strength to hobble away this last time. The sheriff's department was willing to come out and shoot him. The Humane Society would make him comfortable until the vet came, but his injuries were well beyond their budget so he would be put down. The women who found him pleaded for some time to raise the $400 needed to care for his leg and gunshot wounds. They went to the Internet, to the Labrador-L mailing list since the "sad little man" was a yellow Lab.

Within minutes the first pledge came in. Within hours more than enough had been raised to cover his expenses; within days a non-profit corporation was organized so the next dog would not come so close to death. He doesn't know all this and has probably forgotten his painful ordeal.

Though his leg couldn't be saved he gets along fine without it. He runs and swims with the best of them and can even jump a fence if he wants. He has come to live with us where he has a Seeing Eye dog as a brother.

He has earned his Canine Good Citizen certification and is a certified Therapy Dog. He travels to Labrador Retriever shows and other canine events and makes friends everywhere he goes. He has learned that few humans are as rotten as the ones who broke his leg, shot him, and left him to die. His tail never stops wagging.

He is "LABMED's Never Met A Stranger", aka Buddy.

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