- January 30, 2025
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1st Place: Evie, 5. Photos courtesy of the Ormond Memorial Art Museum
2nd Place: Ibis, 16
3rd Place: Wolfgang, 2
1st Place (cats): Miss Peanut, 6
Local dogs and cats dressed up in their finest these past weeks for the Ormond Memorial Art Museum's annual Dogapalooza photo contest event, raising $1,176 for Great Dawg Rescue, the Halifax humane Society and the Sophie's Circle dog rescue and pet food bank.
Another portion of the fundraiser continues through Feb. 1 as Donnie's Donuts contributes $2 from every $3 Dogapalooza Donut purchased during the month of January.
The event started in 2012 with a dog-themed art exhibition at the museum, but has since become a pet costume festival that raises money for pet-related nonprofits.
The event was held virtually this year, with candidates submitting photos and the public voting online for their favorites. Winners in the dog category will receive a custom wood and resin dog bone placard with their name on it, created by artist Hailey Nolin.
In first place in the People's Choice dog category was Evie, 5, with 291 votes. "Evie likes to think she is a Volusia County lifeguard," wrote her human, Ormond resident Melissa Mathews. "When her human siblings are swimming, she's always on alert -- barking and jumping as they splash and go underwater. Nothing will happen on Evie's watch!"
The second place People's Choice dog winner was Ibis, 16, who died after a battle with cancer before the contest ended. She received 247 votes. "Ibis is the absolute love of my life," wrote her person, Deland resident Cassandra Andrews. "... Ibis loved to get out and visit other people and places. Ibis got to go to Mardi Gras this year before Covid hit to celebrate her sweet 16. We tried to give her all the joys we could to enrich her life. ... She would have loved to have gone to Dogapalooza this year if Covid allowed."
In third place was Wolfgang, 2, with 172 votes. "Wolfy is the sweetest, most lovable fluff in the world," wrote his human, Sanford resident Nicole Suecof. "His interests include going on his daily walk, wrestling with his little sister, keeping everyone safe from the vacuum cleaner, and spending time getting his daily cuddles."
The winner of the People's Choice cat category was Miss Peanut, 6. Her human, Nancy Lohman of Ormond Beach, will receive an original watercolor pet portrait painting by artist Lisa Argentieri.
Nolin also selected four honorable mentions, whose humans will each receive a free four-pack of Donnie's Donuts and Starbucks merchandise. They are: Eddie, a 5-year-old dog from Daytona; Jazz, a 12-year-old cat from Ormond; Coco, a 14-year-old dog from Deland; and Franky and Daisy, dogs age 7 and 5, from Port Orange.
