Sarasota Magazine | Vote for Sarasota's Best Pet

Here are the winners of our Best Pet Contest!

Harley - WINNER!

I would like to nominate my greyhound, Harley, to be one of Sarasota's best pets. I adopted Harley from the Sarasota race track almost three years ago. He was an A racer running at almost 42 miles per hour. Now he is a therapy pet associated with the program at the Sarasota Humane Society. He is an animal assisted therapy program special to the Life Care Center here in Sarasota. We visit weekly. Harley works on a one to one basis helping people with exercising and walking with walkers or canes. After that session we then visit other patients while at the facility. Most recently Harley and I have become associated with the Sarasota YMCA reading program.During our visitation young homeless children read to him. Harley is gentle, warm and very friendly to the all he meets be they young or old. He is a wonderful and very handsome pet. Thank you.

Diesel - Runner Up!

A newcomer to the Sarasota social scene, all it takes is one look at this little guy, Diesel, to know that he embodies canine gravitas but still likes to have a good time. He's an adventurous soul whose love for meeting people is infectious.

As a modern millennium mutt, he keeps a personal web site, www.BeingDiesel.com, which chronicles his adventures around town. He loves Saturday mornings at the Farmer's Market, although occasionally the paparazzi get carried away. Street side cafe 'C'est La Vie' for breakfast and 'The Old Salty Dog' for lunch. After a long day shopping at St. Armand's Circle, he likes sunset cocktails at 'O'leary's Tiki Bar & Grill', in the park near 'Marina Jacks'. His snacks, of course, all come from 'Max's Bakery and Shaggy Chic Boutique'. For dinner, he can often been seen having sushi at the sidewalk cafe Saijo, on Main Street, in Lakewood Ranch, especially on First Fridays.

Diesel recently relocated from Lawrence, Kansas to Lakewood Ranch and although he occasionally misses farm living, he enjoys the Florida lifestyle. He is particularly fond of spending his afternoon's poolside or at the beach. He finds the canine companionship in Sarasota somewhat more sophisticated, especially the friends he meets at the Sunday morning Polo matches.

When not pursuing epicurean delights or shopping around town, Diesel is an avid sea kayaker and dog-paddles like a mad man. He hasn't yet met a manatee face-to-face, but it's high on his list of things to do.

Diesel realizes that he's a new kid in town and therefore an underdog in this contest. However, he knows that even while Sarasota cherishes its traditions, it still embraces its newcomers. Everywhere he goes he is warmly greeted; he can hardly wait to meet the rest of Sarasota society.

Gracee - Runner Up!

Her name is "Amazing" Gracee. We call her Gracee. A six pound, seven-year old Maltese, with a soul that can love you to infinity, plus, plus! The story of her goodness begins with, well, my incurable Multiple Myeloma (MM) cancer treatment. In 1999, at the Moffitt Cancer Center, I am recovering from a stem cell transplant. To pass the painful time, the best I could do for several weeks was to "feverishly" look through a dog encyclopedia with large colorful photos,hoping to find what would be (in my fantasies) the perfect dog for me.

Six months after coming home, it's my birthday. The first miracle!

Then, along comes my friend Lyndsay, with her Maltese puppy. The puppy siblings and their parents were nearby. I found her; a tiny white fluff-ball with big black eyes. Gracee, the second miracle!

The MM (blood & bone cancer) and treatment meds did some permanent damage to my bones. Gracee is light enough to carry. She sensed my delicate needs immediately. As our time together grew with affection, we hugged, learned tricks and I became stronger rapidly. In turn, caring for her gave me the hope and peace I craved. Another miracle!

When my family and I found free cancer support groups at The Wellness Community (TWC) on Clark Road, I experienced another miracle! Gracee accompanied me. She danced around the rooms, and visited with most everyone. She was then certified as a Therapy Pet at our Sarasota Humane Society, and became (sort of) the M.D. (medical dog) mascot at TWC. Beyond all prescribed treatment (chemo, radiation, transplant, etc.), Graceeâ€˜s unconditional love is a critical part of my eight-year remission.

For me and many others affected by cancer, Gracee's existence has changed the meaning of MM to "Making Miracles."