Pooch Star lives up to his name (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Pooch Star lives up to his name

Wiltshire Times Perfect Pooch winner Star with owner Debbie Blundell. (17565)THE votes have been counted and the winner of the Wiltshire Times' Perfect Pooch Competition has been revealed.

Star the yellow Labrador staved off competition from 81 fellow canines to be crowned top dog in the inaugural competition.

More than 1,300 Wiltshire Times readers voted for their favourite pup by post, phone and text message following a picture spread in the August 19 edition of the paper.

Star scooped an incredible 207 votes, 44 more than his closest rival Hugo the terrier cross. Pebbles the great dane was the reader's third choice with 111 votes.

Owner Debbie Blundell, 31, said: "This is the first time Star has ever entered a competition. I'm absolutely thrilled. I got him for my 30th birthday but to be honest I wasn't actually looking for a dog. I was flicking through the Trade It newspaper in search of a horse for my work when I saw the advert for Star.

"I've always loved the shape of stars and I when I saw the name I knew I had to have him. My husband took some persuading but now he loves the dog just as much as I do."

One-year-old Star is a regular visitor at Fairfield Farm College in Dilton Marsh, where Mrs Blundell works as a horse studies tutor.

The lively pup is also a member of the Phoenix Dog Agility Club, based at the Heywood Equestrian Centre.

Mrs Blundell said: "Star is a very active and excitable dog. As soon as I let him off the lead he can't wait to tackle the obstacle course.

"He is very popular with students at the college and all the young children in our neighbourhood."

Mrs Blundell has decided to donate the first prize of a year's supply of dog food to the RSPCA Claverton Down Dog and Cat Home in Bath.

She said: "I'm a volunteer at Claverton and some of the animals there need this food more than my dog. Star is loved and well looked after and it's important that the pets at Claverton get the same treatment."

Claverton will also benefit from the generosity of Hugo's owner, Theresa Hammett from Trowbridge, who has pledged her prize of six months dog food to the home.