German Shepherd ‘Dog-Donkey’ Maya Wins Pet of the Week

This week a husky wowed us with her amazing doorway-closing techniques and a cat creatively named Pedro Pspspscal was adopted from a shelter in Kansas.

We’ve also had loads of great reader submissions from pet dad and mom and animal enthusiasts. Remember if you want your pet to be part of the Newsweek Pet of the 7 days lineup scroll to the conclusion of this story to uncover out how.

Winner

This week our winner is adopted German shepherd pet dog Maya who life in upstate New York with proprietor Deborah Walike.

She instructed Newsweek: “We have constantly reported that Maya is German shepherd pet dog-donkey, due to the fact her ears are ridiculous huge.”

Adopted from German Shepherd Rescue of Central New York in 2008, Maya’s owners not long ago had a doggy DNA check performed on their beloved pup.

“On the other facet one particular parent’s line was every single form of pet dog possible and the other aspect was three generations greyhound, which was very surprising,” mentioned Walike. “She does not have any real qualities of greyhound, besides that she was so fast which we learned when she worked [in] agility [training].”

Now around 16 years previous, Maya has come a prolonged way from the young rescue puppy she was: “When we adopted her she was a best mess,” claimed Walike. “Intense, fearful, socially clueless—you title it.”

But her loving owners established to function by and took her to a training school. From obedience classes to agility schooling and rallies, Maya transformed: “She little by little arrived into her attractive self,” reported Walike. “She is our heart.”

Finalists

Our very first finalist this 7 days is a different rescue dog—Honey Bunny who life in Tampa Bay with proprietor Cheri Schumacher.

“Honey Bunny was picked up on a avenue and introduced to the Critter Adoption and Rescue Effort and hard work shelter,” Schumacher instructed Newsweek.

It was 1 element in particular that drew her new entrepreneurs to Honey Bunny: “She had us at to start with sight—the ears,” reported Schumacher. “Honey Bunny is fifty percent spunky and 50 percent lap pet. She likes all persons and most all dogs if they are not much too huge, and she will permit you know when she desires to participate in.”

Our next finalist this week is rescue kitten Deisel. Despatched in by Mary McMahan from Illinois, Deisel belongs to her daughter Katelyn.

“My daughter rescued him when he was just days old,” McMahan explained to Newsweek. “I shared in preserving up with Deisel’s bottlefeeding agenda until eventually he was weaned. Katelyn vowed in the course of that she was not holding him, she currently had three cats, 3 canine, two kids, and her husband and that was sufficient.”

But when it arrived to acquiring the kitten a new residence, the family members was previously far too connected and Deisel ended up remaining for great.

“Deisel loves to enjoy with socks, paper wads, any form of cat toy, and bins. But when Deisel is completed playing, you will locate him cuddle up on a loved ones lap,” reported McMahan. “Deisel is these types of a enjoyment boy, but it is his light, loving aspect that melts my heart.”

Past but definitely not the very least, this 7 days is 11-thirty day period-outdated Italian greyhound Sarena.

“Sarena was sought out by my daughter on the net. She was born in Georgia and lovingly driven up the coast immediately to our property,” owners Anne and Jen informed Newsweek.

She loves participating in with buddies at the dog park, conference new individuals and watching things by way of the window.

“She is total of spunk,” said her proprietor. “Tremendous helpful, feisty at enjoy, but truly loving.”