One loves catching rodents, the other a toy duck. Meet KY’s cutest cat and dog
.jpg "Bennie, a 1-year-old miniature Australian shepherd, lives with his owner, Jordan Geraghty, in Louisville.")
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Readers submitted photos and voted freely; Herald-Leader tallied winners Izzy and Bennie.
- Bennie won dog bracket with 102 votes across two rounds, beating seven rivals.
- Izzy, a 12-year calico rescue, and Bennie, a 1-year shepherd, will join national contest.
The time to crown Kentucky’s cutest cat and dog has finally arrived.
A few weeks ago, we asked our readers to submit photos and fun facts about their four-legged friends. Our readers have voted, and the results of the Herald-Leader pet photo contest are now in. Meet our winners, Izzy and Bennie.
While we’ve previously showcased Kentucky’s top cats and dogs, this year’s contest was open to all Herald-Leader readers, who were allowed to vote as many times as they liked without a subscription.
Despite the state being home to the Kentucky Wildcats, we only received one cat entry, so the state’s love for cats must only extend to basketball. Bennie, our top dog, received 102 votes across two rounds of voting, however, and beat out seven other dog competitors.
New this year, as winners of the Herald-Leader’s contest, Izzy and Bennie will represent Kentucky in a contest of McClatchy newsrooms spanning the country. National fame is on the line. We wish them both luck, and here’s what to know about these adorable pets.
Izzy
Izzy is a 12-year-old Calico cat who lives with her owner, Gina Lowry, in Lexington.
The kitty came into Lowry’s life as a rescue. She was originally a neighbor’s cat, but Izzy would often visit Lowry, and soon the two became inseparable. When her neighbor moved away, Lowry started taking care of Izzy permanently.
“I could not imagine life without her,” she told the Herald-Leader in Izzy’s entry.
These days, Izzy’s favorite pastime is catching and releasing rodents — live ones — in Lowry’s home.
“Izzy brings live mice and chipmunks into the house and drops them,” she told the Herald-Leader in an email Oct. 31. “She does try to help me catch them a day or so later. Maybe I’ll eventually learn to check her mouth before she comes in!”
Bennie
Bennie is a 1-year-old miniature Australian shepherd who lives with his owner, Jordan Geraghty, in Louisville.
Geraghty already owned an Australian shepherd named Arlo prior to adopting Bennie.
“I knew Arlo would love to have another dog to play with. After searching around, I found this amazing couple from Versailles,” Geraghty wrote in Bennie’s entry.
Bennie can often be seen walking around the house with his toy duck, which he hauls everywhere he goes. He also enjoys cuddles and follows his big brother Arlo around the backyard. Bennie isn’t known for his neatness, according to Geraghty.
“Bennie loves to cover his beautiful Red Merle coat with mud every chance he gets,” he wrote the Herald-Leader in an email Oct. 31.
You can find more photos of Izzy and Bennie below:
