Approximately 50 pets strutted before judges to show how beautiful, well mannered, best dressed and tail wagging happy they were during the second annual Pet Beauty Pageant. Proceeds from the event benefitted the Carbon County Animal Shelter dog shelter and Carbon County Friends of Animals cat shelter.

Organizer Sue Anthony said that she holds the annual event because she loves her animals and loves to show them off and she knows that others would want to do so too.Anthony said she was pleased to announce that the Top Cat was Rex, and his owners are Ken and Skip Volkert and Danielle Miller of Lehighton. The cat was carried by Danielle. The cat was recently adopted by the family from Friends of Animals shelter said owner Skip.The Overall Winner was Kenai, a well-trained black cocker owned by James and Dietra DeRose of Palmerton. The cocker earned the most points for his looks, behavior and spunk.Other top dog winners were, Mr. Congeniality: Ceasar, a golden retriever/black lab mix owner by Carolyn Mermon of Lehighton and Miss Congeniality was Sasha, a golden retriever. Largest dog was a Great Dane, Miss Harley, owned by Sandy Breiner of Lehighton, while smallest dog was Toto, a Yorkshire Terrier, owned by Amanda McLean of Lehighton.In the Best Personality Contest, winners were, first place, Miss Harley, a Great Dane, owned by Sandy Breiner; second place, Shadow, a husky/lab mix owned by Jean Reduzzi of Jim Thorpe; and third place was Doodles, a mixed breed, owned by Bruce Lechleitner of Summit Hill.Best Dressed winners were: first place, Kenai, a cocker spaniel owned by James and Dietra DeRose of Palmerton; and second place was Lilly, a cocker spaniel owner by James and Dietra DeRose of Palmerton; and third place was Elsey, a yorkie-poo owned by Brooke Strohl of Lehighton.The Best Tail Wagger Award was presented to Happy and his owner, Tim Kleinhagen of Summit Hill.In the Other Pets Category, which included rabbits and a guinea pig, winners were, Best Personality, first place, Gram, an angora rabbit owned by Christy Nothstein of Tamaqua; second place, Luna, a black rabbit, owned by Courtney Vogelin of Lehighton; and third place was Blackie, a black rabbit owned by Joe Eremus of Lehighton.Best dressed guinea pig was given to Scarlette and her owner, Heavenly Dailey of Lehighton.The Best Tail Wagger was given to Sugar, a brown and white rabbit owned by Joe Eremus.All contestants who entered received certificates and treats."I consider all contestants who entered winners because they helped their furry friends who reside at the shelters," said Anthony.Judges for the event were Sandy Whiteman, Carol Walbert, Jana Metro and Duane Dellecker.Next year the event will be held in mid-September.