Wagapalooza’s Perpetual “Babe Award” Honors St. John’s Finest

Babe was a lovable bulldog adopted by Pat Mazza and Adam Sawyer a few years ago from the Animal Care Center of St. John. She was four or five years old when she was adopted from the Shelter, and everyone who met Babe loved her contagious passion for life and affection towards all. As a matter of fact, Babe won the hearts of the judges two years ago by winning “Best of Show” at Wagapalooza, the ACC’s annual dog show fundraiser.

Then one day, Babe was missing. She was thought to have either gotten lost or picked up by someone thinking the dog was lost. Within 24 hours the tiny island of St. John was covered with hand made signs with a stenciled look alike of the dog and huge letters WHERE’S BABE? Everyone was on the lookout, from local taxi drivers to caring tourists who had seen the signs. Weeks had passed when Babe’s body was found on the shore of Rendezvous Bay. Because of Pat and Adam’s unrelenting efforts to find their best friend, the ACC was inspired to name and perpetuate its most prestigious honor, the “Babe Award” for the “Best Rescued Dog,” after Babe and her loving owners.

The award was presented for the first time last year to DD and her Coral Bay owners Jeff Bumberger and Judy Whitley. DD is her nickname, short for “Dumpster Dog,” a reminder to where she and four tiny puppies had been tossed, with only 2 surviving the ordeal. They were brought to vet Laura Talminteri at Canines, Cats and Critters who adoringly says, “They were more fleas than dogs” and nursed them to health. Laura took the little 5-week old terrier mix pup to Wagapalooza in ’02 hoping to win some hearts. Jeff and Judy were thinking about adopting another dog after their 12-year old four-legged friend had passed away. “I looked that puppy in the eyes and couldn’t put it down,” smiles Jeff. “She won me over that day, and she knows she got a second chance. She still has more heart, smarts, loyalty and love than any animal I’ve ever known and she shows it every day. I don’t know who’s luckier – her or us.”

Last year Jeff and Judy entered DD in the Best Costume category, with DD riding in a wagon decorated like a dumpster, then jumping through a hoola-hoop decorated with fire like flames - illustrating her leap from an almost doomed fate - and into the arms of her loving owners. DD didn’t win the category, but she won the hearts and recognition that all such rescued animals deserve.

DD will led the 100-plus-dog parade as “Grand Marshal of the Pooches” during the 4th Annual Wagapalooza Dog Show on Sunday, June 13 at Skinny Legs, and also helped “pass the crown” to the year’s Best Rescued Dog.

Wagapalooza is known for its quirky, spirited style of fundraising, but Babe and DD’s stories are a reminder of the big hearted souls on St. John and of the ACC continually striving to care for our less fortunate four legged friends.