By Staff
CASSOPOLIS -- The "ballots" were cast, the votes were counted and, after donning a financial visor, a recount was conducted.
The coveted crown of Whiskers 2003 goes to Samantha, whose owners are the Dale Blunier family of Edwardsburg (7,234.4 votes).
Second place ribbon goes to Patches, Miss Catsopolis 1999, owned by Barb Kietzer of Niles (6,058.8 votes). Third place ribbon and the Spirit Award go to Limpy, owned by the Williamson family of Cassopolis (643.2 votes).
Eight contestants vied for the crown of Whiskers 2003.
Voting began at the Cass County animal shelter July 20 with a dime counting as one vote.
Voting continued through the Cass County Fair last week.
Total "votes" for all the contestants was 15,470, which translates to $1,547.
The shelter also raffled off a DVD player and a girl's and boy's bike during the fair.
Tim Ford of Elkhart, Ind., won the DVD player. John Bush of Vandalia won the boy's bicycle. The Goosen family of Cassopolis won the girl's bike.
Proceeds from the Animal "Af-fair" Whiskers 2003 contest, raffles and bandanna sales total $2,104.58.
Those proceeds will be deposited in the shelter donation fund and used specifically to help Cass County residents spay or neuter their pets, provide additional veterinary assistance for animals in the shelter and help promote the Cass County Animal Shelter.