The Hambone Award is presented annually by the Veterinary Pet Insurance Company subsidiary of Nationwide Insurance to the family of the pet that wins a public vote determining whose injuries were caused by the most unusual circumstances.
History It is named for an unusual accident suffered by a client covered by a pet insurance policy, an unnamed dog who reportedly was trapped in a refrigerator for several hours and suffered a mild case of hypothermia while waiting for rescue, consuming the family's holiday ham during the process. The winner receives a bronze ham-shaped trophy, a gift card, and an award to be donated to an approved pet-related charity.
Voting is open for approximately one week. The first winner, Lulu, made a televised appearance on Rachael Ray.
+Hambone Award winners Year Name Animal Injury 2009 Lulu English bulldog Over six months, ate 15 pacifiers, a bottle cap, and part of a basketball; discovered after owner noticed a pacifier went missing immediately after being dropped and licked." 2010 Ellie Labrador Retriever Ate beehive left by exterminators; owners noticed dog was vomiting "hundreds of bees". 2011 Harley Pug Ate rocks, causing bowel obstruction; owner was frightened by bowel movements that were composed mostly of rocks. 2012 Peanut mixed Dachshund / Terrier Sprayed by skunk and nearly suffocated after becoming trapped in loose dirt under owner's deck; deck was dismantled and owners retrieved dog after spotting one free paw. 2013 Winnie mixed-breed dog Ate of frozen onion rings. 2014 Charlie Labrador Retriever Run over by farm equipment towed behind tractor, fracturing spine and damaging kidney, which had to be removed. 2015 Curtis Boxer Ate wooden barbecue skewer; removed nearly one year later, having been encapsulated in a baseball-sized foreign body granuloma. 2016 Kismet Jack Russell Terrier Stabbed by burglar during violent robbery. 2017 Rooster mixed hound Impaled by branch more than long while hiking with owner. 2018 Ziva and Zeus German Shepherds Escaped from yard and missing for three weeks after being trapped inside abandoned missile silo from owners' home. 2019 Minnow Domestic shorthair Indoor/outdoor cat; missing for three weeks; suffered starvation, dehydration, and a broken rib. 2020 Chopper Boxer Burst through a window while trying to greet a visitor, injuring paws and tendons. 2021 Bruin German Shepherd Broke leg and missing for four days after falling into a canyon. 2022 Rafa Siberian cat mix Developed severe hypothermia after being trapped in storm drain. 2023 Giles Domestic shorthair Although instructed to check for cat, inadvertently folded into sofa bed, requiring stitches. 2024 Luca Shiloh shepherd Pulled kitchen cabinet off tracks and ate garbage.
References
External links