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Animal Stories returns to the LDN
lineup of online magazines
Enter the pet contest or remember your pet
that waits for you at the Rainbow Bridge
Send a link to a friend
 [January 09, 2023]
We often try to find the good that comes out of a bad
situation, and such is the case with the pandemic that struck our
country and our community in 2019, 20, and 21. The shutdown of
schools and social events made it difficult for a news source to
come up with adequate content to attract readers. Therefore, in 2020
the Animal Stories online magazine was brought into the mix of
special publications for our readers.
The magazine ran in 2020 and in 2021. Then as the pandemic went
somewhat to the wayside, the community began to get back to what
would become the new normal in our society. We had activities and
events and found that we at LDN were busy again and happy for it.
Because of this, it was determined that in 2022, we would not
include the Animals Stories online magazine in our lineup. But we
missed it. It was a fun magazine that offered reader participation
through the Animals Stories Pet Contest and the tribute to animals
who are waiting for their people at the Rainbow Bridge.
Therefore, as we began planning the 2023 projects, we concluded that
we wanted to bring the Animals Stories magazine back into the mix.
To accommodate the magazine, we moved the Education magazine up to a
January publication date, kept the Farm Outlook magazine in March
and neatly tucked the Animal Stories mag into the fold for a
February publication date.
Animals Stories Pet Contest
At the first of January, LDN began seeking submissions for the
Animal Stories Pet Contest and are delighted to report that we have
already had a good response. But there is plenty of time for more
entries and we want to encourage everyone who has a pet to send
photos and enter their pet in one or more categories of the contest.
The categories for the pet contest are Cutest/Most Cuddly, Dress
Your Pet, Caught in the Act, Best Expression, and Non-Traditional
Pets. A group of judges will be asked to participate in a blind
judging for each category. The most liked photo in each category
will be named the winner of that category and will receive a $50
gift card courtesy of Farm and Home Supply in Lincoln.
Because this is a contest, of course, there must be a few rules.
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The pet must be a Logan County resident.
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A pet may be entered in multiple categories but
will only be named a winner in one.
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All entries should be domesticated animals. The
pet may live in the home, the yard, the barn, a coop or pen, but
may not be a wild animal that visits on occassion.
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All Photos should be family friendly.
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All entries should include the category or
categories entering, the name of the pet, and name and contact
information of the pet parent. This may be a phone number or an
email address.
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Pet parents may also write a sentence or more
about their pet. This can include a comment on why you feel they
are the best choice for the category entered.
The deadline for entry is Friday, February 10th with
no exceptions.
Judging will be held on Monday, February 13th.
The winner of each category will be notified immediately. The
winners will be asked to visit Farm and Home with or without their
pet as they see fit for a photo op with Farm and Home management.
That photo will be included in the publication. If the pet parent is
unable to accommodate the photo request, the picture chosen in the
specific category will be published on the winner page of the
magazine.
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For 2023, LDN is switching up the
categories just slightly. We’ve dropped one category so we can
add a new one, Non-Traditional Pets. This category will be ideal
for those who have pets that are not dogs or cats. In past
contests, we’ve had a few non-traditional pets enter the contest
against all dogs and cats. Those pets are special, but we felt
that they were being stereotyped into a specific category that
was designed for canines and felines. This year, we want to let
them shine in their own category whether they be a bird, a
rabbit or guinea pig, or a reptile or a fish. The primary rule
for this category is as mentioned above the pet should be
domesticated. There is no
cost to enter the contest, and all the photos submitted will be
published in the Animal Stories magazine with the pet’s name and the
pet parent name listed along with whatever commentary the pet parent
provides.
Entries should be emailed to
ldneditor@
lincolndailynews.com
or you may submit photos via the Facebook messenger on the Lincoln
Daily News Facebook page. You may also bring the photo to the LDN
office at 520 Broadway Street in Lincoln or mailed to the same
address. Office hours are Monday thru Friday from 8 a.m. to noon and
afternoons by appointment.
At the Rainbow Bridge
In addition to the Pet Contest, the Animals Stories magazine will
feature a special section for remembering pets who have passed away.
Those pets are often referred to as “At the Rainbow Bridge.” This
stems from a poem with an unknown author that speaks of how that
when pets pass, they await their people in a lovely grassy area at
the foot of a bridge. When the human comes to join the pets, they
are joyously reunited and together they cross over the rainbow
bridge into eternity never to be separated again.
It's a touching analogy that brings to light the fact that most of
us feel are pets are beloved family members, children if you will,
and we love them as such. The thought of being reunited with those
we love is one of the best thoughts we have as we prepare to leave
this world, so it makes sense that would include our pets.
In the meantime, as we await that day, we look back fondly on those
pets, remembering the good times we shared, the joy they brought to
our lives, and the funny little quirks that made them special in our
hearts.
At the Rainbow Bridge will be a section of the magazine that allows
readers to share the memory of a pet passed via a photo and perhaps
a comment or two about the pet.
Those entries may be sent to Lincoln Daily News via email, Facebook,
delivered in person to the LDN offices, or mailed. Please be sure to
designate that the entry is for the Rainbow Bridge section.
The deadline for submission in the Rainbow Bridge section will also
be Friday February 10th.
As of this publication, LDN has received more than 20 entries for
the Pet Contest and are hopeful that we will receive many more in
the next 30 days.
We encourage everyone who has a pet they think is special (and
aren’t they all) to enter the contest.
We also hope that those who have pets in waiting at the Rainbow
bridge will share with the community their love for that pet.
We look forward to hearing from you all.
[Nila Smith] |
