Pet contest provides fun distraction from budget

It was a close call"" but in the end Samurai Noodle had what it took to get into the Sweet 16.

""It's a question of fuzziness"" Samurai Noodle's owner, Linda Beeber, said. Samurai has long hair"" so I think that helped him.""

Samurai Noodle" a cat is one of 16 pets who advanced past the first elimination round of the School of Nursing's March Madness Cutest Pet contest. The contest which mirrors the NCAA Men's Basketball tournament" grew out of a desire to encourage office camaraderie in Carrington Hall.

""People always seem to love their pets"" said Marcia Van Riper, chair of the school of nursing's family health division.

This contest is a nice way to bring a little more collegiality. We have a wonderful school"" but we don't always have time in our busy world for each other.""

In early February" Van Riper invited her colleagues to submit pictures of their pets for the office bulletin board on the fourth floor of Carrington Hall.

In a matter of hours Van Riper had received dozens of submissions she said. The final tally was 64 — the perfect number for a March Madness-style cute pet contest.

Faculty members submit votes on their four favorite pets for each round and the contest narrows down from 64 to 16 from 16 to four and from four to the final winner: the cutest pet in the school of nursing.

The winner will be announced April 6" the day of the final game of the NCAA men's basketball tournament.

Some faculty are pushing for their pets to win the big dance.

""Most people seem to like dogs and puppies" so the winning pet will probably be a dog" Debra Barksdale said. Though some people have been doing some shameless campaigning.""

Noreen Esposito is one of them. Monday morning" she sent out a promotional video of her dog Sophie" after she made it past the first round of voting.

""Somebody has to win it all"" so why not Sophie?"" Esposito said in an interview. ""She's the smartest"" sweetest dog I've ever had.""

With budget cuts looming for the nursing school and the University at large"" the contest has provided an fun emotional release for staff.

""We are starting to worry about money" about how we are going to continue to preserve the same quality of work" Esposito said. This contest is a fun distraction from all of that.""

Meeting around the brightly colored bulletin board to look at the pictures of pets — some in cute poses"" some dressed in tiny outfits and some bearing encouraging messages urging passersby to vote for them ­— the faculty are discovering more about each other through their shared love of animals.

""More people walk by the floor now"" professor Deborah Mayer said. Her dog, Ginger, made it to the Sweet 16. Lots of people have pets"" but it's not something you necessarily know about someone.""

The prize for the winning pet hasn't been decided yet"" but few faculty members care.

""It's like a water cooler" and we don't have a water cooler" Esposito said. More people are getting to know each other.""

And their pets.

""It just puts a comma in the day"" Barksdale said. It makes people feel good.""



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