Animal Health Institute Announces Winners of the 10th Annual Cutest Pets on Capitol Hill Contest

Ralph the dog, Milo the cat, and Ruby Sue the goat take home top honors

Contact: Jennifer DiSiena
Jennifer.DiSiena@storypartnersdc.com
516-941-6796

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Washington, D.C. – (September 6, 2018) The love of animals trumped politics tonight as members of Congress and Hill staffers from both sides of the aisle gathered to celebrate pets and learn the winners of the 10th Annual Cutest Pets on Capitol Hill Contest at Pet Night on Capitol Hill. This year’s winners were Ralph the dog from the office of Senator Lamar Alexander, Milo the cat from the office of Representative Bill Johnson, and Ruby Sue the goat, who belongs to Representative Paul Mitchell.

Representative Kurt Shrader (D-OR 5), who worked as a veterinarian prior to his time in Congress, unveiled this year’s winners, who were selected from a record-breaking number of entries submitted by Members of Congress and their staff.

Representative Ted Yoho (R-FL) joined Schrader as bi-partisan judges who narrowed the entries to a list of finalists in each pet category, then winners were selected by the public via online voting.

“We continue to be impressed with the enthusiasm for the Cutest Pets on Capitol Hill Contest each year,” said Alex Matthews, President and CEO of AHI.  “Pet ownership in America continues to climb, and increasingly pets are treated like part of the family.  The animal health industry is proud to provide the medicines and therapies that enable pets and their people to remain healthy.”

The contest winners were announced at Pet Night on Capitol Hill, which is hosted by the Pet Leadership Council and the Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI). For more than 20 years Pet Night has convened elected representatives, industry leaders, the veterinary community, animal welfare advocates and research organizations to learn about the importance of pet ownership in America and the growing scientific evidence that pet ownership leads to improved wellbeing for both people and animals.

“Research has shown that pets relieve stress, support healthy aging, improve heart health, and also help families dealing with cancer, autism, and PTSD,” said HABRI Executive Director Steven Feldman. “Pets are an important part of American life, and it’s great to see so much congressional support for a more pet-friendly world.”

For more information about the contest and to view photos from the event, visit https://healthyanimals.org/

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About the Animal Health Institute

The Animal Health Institute (AHI) represents companies that make medicines for pets and farm animals. AHI and its member companies direct the Healthy People. Healthy Animals. Healthy Planet. program to educate the public on the disease-prevention continuum. The initiative continues to unite stakeholders in the pet, agriculture, veterinary and public health communities with the goal of eliminating diseases at the nexus of animal and human health. For more information, please visit www.HealthyAnimals.org.

Pet Leadership Council

The Pet Leadership Council is made up of pet care industry leaders, animal welfare advocates, veterinarians and academia who envision a world where pets and people thrive together.

Together, they are promoting responsible pet ownership and improving the access to, health, and well-being of companion animals. For more information, please visit www.petleadershipcouncil.org.

Human Animal Bond Research Institute

The Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI) is a not-for-profit organization that maintains the world’s largest online library of human-animal bond research and information; funds innovative research projects to scientifically document the health benefits of companion animals; and informs the public about human-animal bond research and the beneficial role of companion animals in society. For more information, please visit www.habri.org