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Photo by Cathy Pinsky |
Every day, Web Sales Associate Jonathan Quartuccio stops by my office to pick up the paper. No, it’s not to scan the headlines or to catch up on current events. Instead, he needs it to paper-train his four-month-old English bulldog, Ozzy. In a reversal of the typical dog-fetches-the-paper-for-his-owner, Jonathan brings me the morning paper in exchange for the previous day’s, which he brings home for his puppy.Jonathan, who chose his current White Plains residence based on its dog-friendliness, considers Ozzy a warm, fuzzy shadow. “He’s so loyal,” he says. “He follows me everywhere. Every time I turn around, he’s right there behind me. He won’t let me even go take out the garbage without coming with me.”
Jonathan isn’t the only one in Westchester—or even in this office—who is gaga over his pet. Everybody wants to gush about their four-legged children. When we ran a contest online to name the county’s top pets, we received many submissions, from your run-of-the-mill suburban cats and dogs to a palomino quarter horse. One person even submitted a photo of a deceased pet. (To that person, we are doubly sorry, for our rules and for your loss.)
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Ozzy, Jonathan Quartuccio’s bulldog and recipient of our office’s daily paper. |
You can see the results of our pet contest on page 122. “Particularly heartwarming were the number of rescued pets among the entrants and winners,” says Features Editor—and animal lover—Laurie Yarnell, who headed up the contest. Laurie is married to a veterinarian and is mom to Gracie, a yellow Lab, and Kayley, a black standard poodle. She says of the rescued pets: “These dogs and cats who started life in shelters—or, in one case, abandoned by the side of a busy highway—were so clearly adored by and brought so much joy to their new families.” Though a fun assignment, she admits, “Choosing the winners was incredibly difficult. They were all adorable and naturally photogenic.”
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Features Editor Laurie Yarnell with her Lab, Gracie (foreground), at six weeks old and one of Gracie’s littermates. |
Since we know you can’t get enough puppy (or kitty) love, we’re continuing this feature online. When you need a midday pick-me-up, visit our website for “30 Days of Adorable Pets,” submitted by our readers. To enter your pet’s photo, visit westchestermagazine.com and use the form at the top of our cover story, “Westchester’s Next Top (Animal) Models.”
Our pets are not the only source of pride in the county. Our schools inspire a tremendous amount of pride and school spirit. If you’re new to the county, choosing a public school is of the utmost importantance, and we’ll help you with that decision starting on page 91. But for those of you who already have a school and want to support your alma mater, check out our poll at westchestermagazine.com. There, you can vote for your school in categories such as “Best Sports Rivalry,” “Most Beautiful Campus,” “Best Academics,” “Best Extracurriculars,” and more.
