Border Collie Mix Called 'Skippy' Named 'Farm Dog of the Year'
They say dog is man's best friend. And there's no greater proof of that than this year's Farm Dog of the Year, Skippy. The pup is not only absolutely adorable, but she also is a huge help for her owners, Donald and Laura Adams, around their Georgia farm. "She's such a loyal companion. She's about like my wife," he joked.
News of the pup receiving the honor was delivered from the American Farm Bureau Federation Convention in Salt Lake City, Utah.
The contest is meant to celebrate dogs that work alongside farmers and ranchers that produce food across the county, WAFB reports. Skippy is a Border Collie, Australian Shepherd and Catahoula hound mix, the Farm Bureau reports.
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These dogs aren't just major sources of companionship, they also help round up and guard livestock from predators. Something that is incredibly important to Donald, who sustained an injury in 2019 that left him paralyzed from the neck down.
How Skippy Transformed Her Family's Life
Skippy has been with her owners for the last two years, following the incident.
Donald is able to move around the farm with the help of two canes. But he owes his mobility in large part to Skippy.
"When you have an injury like I have, if you sit in a chair or sit on the couch that's where you're going to end up," Donald said in a video announcing the win. "Because we have Skippy to help us, everyday we're doing something. If it wasn't for her helping us with the cows to keep me busy things might not be as good as they are now," he added.
"She's a partner, she's a part, she's right here with us helping us with the cattle every day," he said.
“Being able to keep the cows and having something for me to live for every day…she has contributed to that immensely.”
Donald's wife Laura said that Donald received his injury when he and his son were "feeding hay and the last bale bounced the wrong way and hit him in the back of the head, broke his neck, and it broke the spinal cord," she explained.
But Donald wasn't ready to give up his farm. "As long as I got a breath in me I'm going to take care of the cattle and the farm," he said. While in a rehabilitation program at Shepards Center in Atlanta, Georgia he learned about a non-profit called P.H.A.R.M. Dog USA which supplies dogs to farmers with disabilities. It was the best thing that could've happened to the couple.
As part of her prize, Skippy has been awarded $5,000 from the contest's sponsor Purina, Farm Bureau reports.
“Purina is proud to support the sixth annual Farm Dog of the Year competition with the American Farm Bureau, and we applaud this year’s winner, Skippy,” Jack Scott, vice president of sustainable sourcing at Nestlé Purina PetCare, told the news outlet. “We believe people and pets are better together, and Skippy’s role on the farm along with her bond to Donald perfectly exemplifies what this contest is about.”
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