The ManxSPCA is to hold its annual Dog of the Year Awards on Saturday 14th October at 2.00pm. This is an exclusive ‘invitation only’ event.

The Awards were first created in 1999 and since then Lyn Renshaw, the ManxSPCA Centre Manager, has been working alongside the Kennels team to select nominees for the Awards.

35 dogs, all rescue dogs who were rehomed during 2016, have been nominated for 13 Awards at this year's event. These Awards include the prestigious ‘Dog of the Year’.

The Awards have grown over the years with some of the newer ones being in memory of past rescue dogs. This includes ‘Jake’s Award’ which is in memory of the first ever Dog of the Year Show prize winner, selected because he overcame his problems and found a new life after 18 months at the ManxSPCA.

This year’s awards will also include the ‘Sulby Award’ in memory of the unidentified chocolate brown labrador who was tied up with duct tape before being thrown into the Sulby Reservoir in 2007. The four puppies who were dumped in a sealed plastic bag in the North of the Island last October have all been nominated for this Award.

Other categories include ‘Reserve Dog of the Year’, ‘Overcame Most Behavioural Problems Dog of the Year’, ‘Foster Dog of the Year’ and ‘Puppy of the Year’.

Lyn states “It is really hard to pick just one winner for each category as all the dogs who are adopted from the ManxSPCA are very special to us. The Awards are often accompanied by tears because many of the dogs’ owners become very emotional at the sight of their beloved companion being recognised in this way.”