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People arguing about whose pet is the most adorable will be able to settle their squabble once and for all, while raising money for a good cause at the Ypsilanti Heritage Festival.
The Ypsilanti-area Jaycees are returning to the Heritage Festival for the seventh annual Precious Pets contest. This friendly contest is open to all animals.
Festival-goers vote for the contestants during all three days of the event. Voting closes early on Sunday, so Jaycees can tally the votes and announce the winner onstage. The entry fee is $5, and all proceeds go to the Humane Society of Huron Valley.
Jodi Flavell, president of the Jaycees, urges owners of all pets to enter the fun contest.
“It doesn’t have to be a dog or a cat,” Flavell said. “Two years a go a hermit crab won.”
Precious Pets is branched off from another Jaycee contest, called Beautiful Babies, where people vote on the cutest child, instead of pets.
Jane Carr, a member of the Jaycees, said the group saw a need for a contest for people who didn’t have children, but owned pets. Those members also volunteered at the HSHV and thought about how much it could benefit the non-profit organization.
“They took their knowledge of the humane society and their knowledge of the project that we already ran for children and combined that into a new project that focused on pets instead,” Carr said.
Votes for the precious pets is 25 cents, but instead of using quarters voters will purchase “Jaycee” money to ease trouble when counting votes, and to also easily allow voters to spend as much as they want.
“Some people really want their pet to win, so they’ll spend $20,” Flavell said laughing. “That’s great though, because the money goes to the Humane Society, so that’s the motivation of it.”
Visitors will vote their choice for the most precious pet at the Jaycee booth during festival hours. At the booth, there will be a board with pictures of pet contestants and each will have a number. Next to it will be a doghouse with slits in it next to a number. Voters will enter the Jaycee money into the slit that represents their vote.
The Jaycees is a leadership training community service organization that has been in Ypsilanti for about 71 years, and is the largest chapter in the state.
“In general, our goal is to learn the skills of being business and career-oriented through helping organizations in the community that needs support and also build networking opportunities in the community as well,” Carr said.
“So this is one of the networking opportunity to be able to work with another non-profit organization like the humane society,” she said.
Winners of Precious Pets will receive a $50 gift certificate to Mantis Pets Supply and also have their picture displayed on the Ypsilanti Area Jaycee Website.
On the Web:
Click here