Posted: November 9, 2009, 5 a.m. EST
Lulu, a 2-year-old pacifier-eating Bulldog, recently received Veterinary Pet Insurance’s first Hambone Award, which honors the most unusual pet insurance claim of the year.
Owners Jennifer and David Zwart of Warson Woods, Mo., thought their daughter’s missing pacifiers had just been misplaced. One day, however, Jennifer caught Lulu eating a pacifier that had dropped on the floor. She immediately took Lulu to the veterinarian where an X-ray revealed a large foreign mass in Lulu’s stomach. Surgery was performed, revealing 15 baby pacifiers, a bottle cap and piece of a basketball.
Lulu’s subsequent pet health insurance claim was one of 12 claims nominated by VPI. The public then voted in September for their favorite story. Out of the more than 3,400 votes, Lulu won with nearly three times more votes than the first runner up.
The VPI Hambone Award is named in honor of a VPI-insured dog who got stuck in a refrigerator and ate an entire Thanksgiving ham before being found. He had a mild case of hypothermia but recovered.
As the winner, Lulu’s owners received a bronze trophy in the shape of ham, a gift basket and an upcoming appearance on the “Rachael Ray Show.”
All pets considered for the award made full recoveries and received insurance reimbursements for eligible expenses.