Voting is now open for Nationwide’s most unusual pet insurance claim
The 2023 Hambone Award finalists (Image courtesy of Nationwide Pet Insurance)
Nationwide Pet Insurance has officially shared the top finalists for its annual Hambone Award. The Hambone award, named after a dog who was stuck in the family refrigerator and ate an entire holiday ham prior to be discovered with a mild case hypothermia and a licked-clean ham, honors a pet who has filed an insurance claim for a surprising or unique scenario.
“Each year, we’re able to highlight nominees that have made remarkable recoveries because of the diligence of the pet parents and the incredible skills of their treating veterinary healthcare teams,” said Jules Benson, BVSc, MRCVS, AVP, vice president, pet health and chief veterinary officer for Nationwide, in the organizational release.1 “Pets might still get into unusual or unexpected situations, but the peace of mind that comes with Nationwide protection allows pet families and veterinary healthcare teams to focus on what counts.”
The 10 finalists for the 2023 Hambone Award are1:
The winner of last year’s Hambone Award was Rafa, a Siberian mix, who had escaped from his outdoor adventure at his house and ended up falling 45 feet deep drainpipe.2 His family located him after hearing his meows coming from the sewer grate and immediately called for help. Rafa was successfully extracted thanks to help from the fire department, animal rescue, Public Utilities, Roto-rooter, and serval neighbors planned, dug, and cut into pipes. Rafa spent a week in the ICU for severe hypothermia and other complications but made a full recovery.
All the pets nominated for the Hambone Award made full recoveries and received reimbursement for eligible expenses. Voting will remain open until September 22, 2023, and the winner will be announced on September 28, 2023. The chosen winner will receive the Hambone Award trophy, a gift card, and a donation in their name to an approved pet charity. Second and third place will also receive a prize and charitable donation opportunity.
To learn more about each finalist and vote, visit https://www.petinsurance.com/hamboneaward/.
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