Auditor awards top amazing dogs in Ashtabula County

Conneaut- There’s a new top dog in town! Ashtabula County Auditor David Thomas travelled to Conneaut’s Gateway Elementary School to award fourth grade student Grace Kelly and her pup Missy the inaugural honor. The Auditor’s Office held their first Top Dog contest for Ashtabula County this year to give older students an opportunity to win notoriety from the dog license program.

“We want to congratulate Grace on her essay sharing her love for 15-year-old Missy,” said Auditor Thomas. “Our staff read through over 100 submissions and picked their top three choices for the honor.”

Thomas contacted county schools in November to share the opportunity with area fourth and fifth grade students to write a brief essay answering the question of why their dog was the top dog in Ashtabula County. The Auditor’s Office received in nearly 100 submissions with some students talking about their current dogs and others reflecting on deceased pets.

Grace’s essay focused on Missy’s love for her as a dog owner and the fun activities they enjoy together such as playing in the snow and cuddling up with blankets. Missy is a Lab and Dachshund mix adopted from the APL in 2006. “Missy’s favorite season of the year is winter because she loves playing in the snow. Missing also loves winter because she gets to lay down by the fireplace and she turns into a hotdog,” said fourth Grace Kelley.

In addition to Grace’s top dog selection, the other two winners were Mae Measel with her dog Penny and Tyler Yelverton and his dog Berkley. Mae is a fourth grader at Kingsville Elementary School and Tyler a fourth grader at Ridgeview Elementary School.

“This was a very difficult contest to judge, but we loved reading all of the essays and appreciate the affection our county’s students have for their pets,” shared Auditor Thomas.

Grace got a visit from Auditor Thomas and Office Manager Sue Belden on Tuesday at Gateway Elementary in Conneaut where she was presented a gift card and the number one dog license in the county for her dog Missy. Mae and Tyler had their presentations on Monday at their elementary schools in front of their fellow classmates.

“I love my dog Penny,” said fourth grader Mae Measel. “Our family has had Penny for seven years, and from all of those years I’ve learned that she’s sweet and stubborn.”

Thomas thanked the students for helping to promote dog licenses and information for the program. All dogs three-months-old or older must register or renew their license each year between December 1 and January 31. Licenses alert the Dog Warden of official ownership and the owner’s contact information if a dog becomes lost or a concern arises. These fees help with shelter costs and Dog Warden funds.

Licenses are $12 for a one-year tag and can be purchased at the Auditor’s Office, online at the Auditor’s Website, or at one of the convenient community partners.