For Your Consideration

It’s awards season, folks. You know what that means, right? A lot of pomp and circumstance around actors doing acting in those things they act in. But you know what? Instead of throwing your vote away to some Hollywood starlet or Leo DiCaprio for his turn in the sequel to What’s Eating Gilbert Grape, What’s Eating Gilbert Grape 2 : “I Coulda Drownded Again, Gilbert“, why don’t you send your vote to someone who truly deserves it, my daughter’s lovable sweetheart pooch Celeste.

Yes, I know. You’re thinking to yourself “What was Celeste in this past year?” Well, she was into a lot of treats, lots of walks, and a whole mess of cuddling and being loved on. I’ve talked a lot about Celeste and my daughter on here over the last year. Ad nauseum, probably. But I had reason to, as they are both a huge part of my life. Let me give a little background on this story to maybe those tuning in for the first time(“Hello! Snacks are in the back, as is coffee.”):

My daughter lived with her boyfriend back in 2023. They had an apartment together. The boyfriend was and is an idiot. Most of us saw it, but it took our daughter awhile to figure that out. But before she had come to the conclusion she was not going to stay in a relationship with him they adopted a dog from the local Animal Welfare League. A pup named Frankie. Frankie was a Heinz 57, leaning heavy into Pitbull territory. Rambunctious but sweet, Frankie improved our daughter’s life greatly. Frankie also made her realize that the boyfriend situation was dead on arrival. He was a lazy, overbaked stoner mama’s boy who would rather get high as a kite and play videogames than do anything else(including being an actual boyfriend.)

Our daughter had a companion in Frankie, so she told the dead weight she was done with him. She figured they could wait it out till their lease was up then go their separate ways. One day while our daughter was working a double shift at Starbucks the boyfriend packed up his garbage bag full of belongings – as well as Frankie – and moved back to his parents house. The next nearly two months was complete chaos and breakdowns and tears as my wife and I were there for our understandably distraught kiddo. All she wanted was her dog back. We filed with small claims court, wrote a very heartfelt letter to the judge and included receipts and the adoption papers which were in our daughter’s name, and on October 17th had our day in court.

It was a disaster.

The judge came in already “judging” our daughter and her loser ex for “shacking up”. The boyfriend paid our daughter for the things he took(including the dog) and the judge was good with that. Done. The dog was gone and our daughter had another month left on a lease in an empty apartment.

After a much needed trip to New York at the beginning of November of 2023 to hang with her best friend she returned and decided she wanted to give another dog a home that was at the shelter. She went to the Kosciusko Co. Animal Welfare League and found Celeste, a three-year old Staffordshire mix that had been at the shelter for 9 months. She was found abandoned and was brought in, pregnant with a litter of pups. She gave birth at the shelter and all her pups were adopted out. Celeste remained, alone and slowly becoming emaciated. My daughter took her out on a walk at the shelter and Facetimed me at work, crying because Celeste was so quiet and calm. I knew then that her and Celeste were going to be best friends.

The last year wasn’t easy. Celeste had been cooped up in a kennel for nearly a year, so being put in one while our daughter was at work brought out a lot of PTSD and she would escape from her kennel like Houdini. Barely two weeks after Celeste was adopted our daughter was walking her in town and two dogs came running out of a house. One stopped short of reaching them, while the other(a German Shepherd) went in for the attack. Celeste didn’t move until that dog was nearly on her and then she nearly tore the other dog’s ear off. She showed us in that instance what a fighter and protector she was. She ended up with some puncture wounds, but nothing like what she inflicted on that other pooch.

There were learning curves and behavioral situations that needed to be worked on. My wife and I paid for training, which Celeste locked into wonderfully. 2024 saw her blossom, and in turn saw our daughter find herself again after a toxic relationship that affected her negatively both emotionally and health-wise. She has become a strong, independent young woman who puts herself and Celeste first. Then her career as a stylist, as well as her friends and family. She’s figuring out who she is and Celeste is a HUGE part of that. Sometimes you need something or someone outside of yourself to take care of and nurture in order to lock into how strong you are on the inside. Our kiddo has found that in Celeste.

I know our daughter saved Celeste from such a sad and lonely existence, but Celeste saved our daughter as well. Fate and happenstance put them together, and I’m so grateful for that.

So now that you’re all caught up, I have an ask. Our daughter put Celeste into a contest, America’s Favorite Pet. First she did it as kind of a lark, but then Celeste has stayed in the top 5 through all of the rounds. The top 5 will be revealed tonight and she’s currently in the number 2 spot, which is kind of crazy. Grand prize is $10,000 and Celeste on the cover of Modern Dog magazine!

Now I know what you’re thinking, “It’s a scam!”, but it isn’t. I looked this thing up and it is a legit contest. And anyone can vote for free. You can vote once everyday. And if you are so inclined, you can make a donation for votes. All of the donations go to PAWS.org, which helps injured animals and is tax-deductible if that’s your thing.

But mainly, I’m just asking for a free vote from you all once a day until the contest ends which is going to be in a week. Will Celeste win? I’m sure the chances are low, but then again I didn’t think she’d make it to the top 5, so what the hell do I know? They verify your vote through Facebook(I know, Zuckerberg..putz), so know that going in.

Okay, no more of me begging for votes from you fine folks in the interwebs. If you’re so inclined to maybe help my daughter and Celeste with a chance at some life-changing money and a cover spread on Modern Dog, check out the contest right here.

Have a great day, and tell your doggo I said hi. And your cat. Cats are pretty cool, too.