Donkey steals show

A 3-week-old miniature donkey named Adelina attracted youngsters of all ages at the F&M Bank’s annual pet show Wednesday afternoon in Central Park. Many enjoyed petting her soft fur, and the donkey remained calm as it made many new friends.
Adelina was registered with Clyde Dunker IV, 14-month-old son of Jeanie and Clyde Dunker III of Hannibal. The donkey won the prize for most unusual pet. Both the baby and donkey wore Mexican attire. Jeania explained Adelina lives at Kinderhook, Ill., where Clyde IV’s grandfather, Clyde Dunker II (Chuck) has all kinds of animals on his farm.
Among the animals competing against the donkey in the most unusual category were a salamander, ferret, a black rat named Oreo, an albino hedgehog named Snowball, a parrot named Skittles, a hermit crab and some turtles.
All eighty contestants took home backpacks from the contest, after being called back on stage when their division winner was to be announced.
Additional winners were:
Best Tom - Erin Sublette, 10, of Hannibal, for a Jack Russell terrier.
Best Becky - Lacey Leeders, 10, Hannibal for a Yorkie.
Best cat - Peyton Marshall, 9, of Hannibal, for her cat.
Best dog - Amber House, 11, of Hannibal, for her poodle, Layla.
Best dressed - Alaina Carroz, 13, of Hannibal, with her American Eskimo dog, Koko.
Best trick - Morgan Bross, 9, of Hannibal, whose beagle, Daisy, held up its paws when she said “stick em up.”
Alaina Carroz explained her costume was inspired by her favorite game, Guitar Hero. She was carrying a guitar and dressed in a black outfit, with her 4-year-old dog, Koko, wearing a fancy dress with hair extensions added to its hair.
After the contest, Amber House explained she believed her dog won, because it waved both paws at the judges.
While some dogs and cats were restless, some remained oblivious to the large crowd surrounding them, such as Bulldog, a Dachshund/Shih Tzu held by Jeremy Cooper, 5, of Hannibal. Bulldog was among four dogs his family brought to the pet show.
One cat that tried to get away on stage was Sugar, a year-old Himalayan brought by Alex and Payton Welch of Hannibal, whose family included their grandmother, Debbie Catlett.
A tame goose named Blackie was held by Heidi Meyers before being taken on stage by her 9-year-old son, Lenny. The family has had Blackie since it was 1 day old, she said, so it is a calm pet.
Another unusual animal was Sadie, a 3-month-old Pygmy goat brought by Cydnie Fawks, 11. Cydnie’s mother, Brenda Fawks, described Sadie, “as the best kid in the world. ... She makes a good pet for Cydnie.
“It’s good to have a goat around to eat stuff out of fence rows” on her farm, Brenda said. “Dandelions are her favorite.”
Sadie is well-behaved, Cydnie said, and likes to jump on things.