Local Top Dogs Win National Photo Contest

Two traveling dogs, one from North Carolina and the other from South Carolina, were recognized in Charlotte today for winning AAA’s 2009 national pet photo contest.

The “cover dogs” are first place winner Zillie from North Carolina and second-place winner Michelob from South Carolina. The dogs and their owners attended an event today at AAA Carolinas, 6600 AAA Dr., Charlotte, where the winning photos were unveiled.

Both Zillie and Michelob will enjoy a year of fame as “cover dogs” on the 11th edition of Traveling With Your Pet: The AAA PetBook.

“We are thrilled that the top dogs featured in this national book are from the Carolinas,” said Tom Crosby, AAA Carolinas vice president for communications. “This is the first time in the five year history of the photo contest that both winning pets were from the same area.”

Zillie, a 3 ½-year-old a German Shepherd/Boxer mix, belongs to Brian, 36, and Joy, 34, Peeler from Raleigh, N.C. She was rescued from a hospital parking lot when she a puppy.

“She’s our child,” said Brian Peel, “she loves to play and jump and lick on everyone she sees. She does so many cute things each day – she’s just a hoot. She goes with us almost everywhere and loves to travel, especially to the Nags Head beaches. She gets down on all four legs, lays down, and jumps up and down in the sand.”

Michelob, also a rescue dog, is an 8 or 9-year-old Welsh Springer Spaniel, adopted from an area SPCA by Mark Moore, 36, from Charleston, S.C.

“He’s really affectionate, loyal and sweet,” said Moore. “Michelob loves to travel as long as he has his tennis ball. Fetch is at the top of his list of favorite things to do.”

Peeler and Moore were presented with a $350 and $200 check, respectively, from AAA for winning the national photo contest. In addition they received poster-size copies of the winning photos and a framed copy of a story about the winning dogs that will appear in the March/April edition of Go, a bimonthly travel magazine published by AAA Carolinas.
Zillie and Michelob received some special treats. They were presented with personalized dog bones and a basket of gourmet dog treats by Barbara Burg from Barbara’s Canine Catering in Charlotte. They also received some toys from Cat Belteau from the Humane Society of Charlotte.

“Thank you for creating a forever home for your dogs,” said Belteau, volunteer coordinator for the Humane Society of Charlotte. “Animals at the Humane Society of Charlotte are just waiting for someone like you to give them a new home. We can help you assess the animals' health and temperament in order to make the best adoption matches possible.”

The new PetBook edition, available for purchase in May, features more than 13,000 pet-friendly AAA Approved and Diamond Rated lodgings and campgrounds in the United States and Canada. Winning and runner-up photos selected for a special insert in the book can be viewed now at AAA.com/petbook.

An affiliate of the American Automobile Association, AAA Carolinas is a not-for-profit organization that serves more than 1.8 million members with travel, automobile and insurance services while being an advocate for the safety and security of all travelers.

Clilck here to see a picture of Zillie.

Click here to see a picture of Michelob.