Daisy Doodle Bugg the Bulldog with a big heart

This is Daisy Doodle Bugg, an english bulldog on a mission! She wants to be on the cover of the next Hallmark Card and you can help her. If she wins, her owner plans to donate her prize money to Habitat for Humanity and Adopt-a-bulls (a bulldog rescue group in southern Florida).

This gorgeous wrinkly face is already a finalist in the competition, which is based of viewers votes. The more votes she gets, the higher she raises in the ranks, and the closer she gets to helping out two charities that I also happen to feel very strongly about!

Here’s a little more information about the Hallmark competition. Let’s see if we can make this dream come true together!

(Tampa, Florida, August 15, 2008) — In March Hallmark announced 67 finalists in the company’s latest greeting card competition, including Susan Rodnite from Tampa. “YourPets,” a nationwide search for America’s funniest pet card concepts, provides Rodnite and the other 66 finalists with the chance to see their pets front and center on a Hallmark card currently being sold online and in more than 13,000 retail outlets.
 
“YourPets” was the second contest in the new, ongoing card competition Hallmark launched last fall.
Pet owners were encouraged to submit their funniest, most endearing, cutest, silliest, or most creative pet photos, along with a corresponding “birthday” sentiment for a chance to win.
 
“For years, Hallmark consumers have approached us with incredible ideas for greeting cards,” said
Ingerlene Embry, editorial director at Hallmark. “We want to encourage that passion. People love to create and get great joy out of doing so. As a company built on creativity, communicating and connecting, we understand that. So with these competitions our goal is to provide creative people like Susan with that opportunity and the chance to have fun at the same time.”
 
Of the more than 7,000 entries submitted in “YourPets,” the overwhelming majority were pictures of our loving and faithful companions: dogs and cats. Other animals included bunnies, turtles, horses, pigs, hamsters, guinea pigs, birds, and yes, even chinchillas. And the pet owners were just as diverse as the animals, ranging in age from 15 to 93 and hailing from all 50 states and Washington, D.C.

Rodnite’s winning photo card is of her beloved English Bulldog, Daisy Doodle Bugg, wearing a pink birthday tiara and is accompanied by the caption: “The Birthday Princess.”  The photo was taken last year during Daisy’s birthday celebration at the Davis Island Dog Park.
 
The entries were judged by both Hallmark creative staff and experts within the pet community. Outside pet expert judges included Dr. Wayne Hunthausen, a veterinarian and pet behavior specialist, and Brian Bengelsdorf, the Art Director of Dog Fancy magazine.

The finalists were selected based on:
·      Sendability (how easily the card can be sent to multiple people)
·      Theme (how well it fits the funny pet birthday photo theme)
·      Humor/cohesiveness of caption (how well the photo and writing go together)
 
Meet the finalists and vote for the best pet card!
Rodnite and the 66 finalists received $250. In addition, each of their card designs have been produced by Hallmark and sold online and in more than 13,000 participating retail outlets. 
 
Through an open online voting process, America will choose the winning design. One Grand Prize winner will be selected whose card will be available for sale at Hallmark.com/you for at least a year and may become part of another card collection. The Grand Prize also includes a $1,000 cash prize and trip to Hallmark (with the award-winning pet!) for a professional photo shoot and workshop with Hallmark’s creative team.  If selected as the Grand Prize winner, Rodnite intends to donate the $1000 cash prize between two of her favorite charities- Habitat for Humanity and Adopt-a-Bulls (a non-profit Bulldog rescue group based in South Florida- adoptabullrescue.com).  Rodnite’s card is currently in 2nd place out of the 67 finalists.
 
Bulldog fans can rally behind this big hearted bulldog and vote (once a day) through Sept. 14, 2008, by logging on to http://tinyurl.com/2xm5h9. Go there now and cast YOUR vote for this beautiful girl!