"Give A Hoot About Animals" Writing Contest

Read this winning entry for the "Give A Hoot About Animals" contest! Learn more about the contest here.

Honorable mention, ages 12-15

Michael C., age 14, Honolulu, HI

How I Love My Dog Jumbo 

The citrine sunlight heats Nuimalu Loop,
as take my dog Jumbo out for walks around Mariners Cove
in the breezy late afternoon. 

We would go swimming
on scorching summer days
as he runs around the pool
in concern for me as I pretend to drown. 

I let him inside our newly-renovated house
and he walks in a circle
and suddenly falls asleep on the tiled floor. 

He eats junk food
such as candy, beef jerky, and sometimes popcorn,
but mostly he likes to have chicken strips
that I give him only once in a while. 

I take him to the tennis courts
at Kalani High School when I have a match on a nice hot day
and Jumbo runs around in the weedy field. 

We take him to Kaimuki Animal Clinic
where he is loved and cared for
by the people who give him
a nice warm shower, a brushing, and a nail clipping. 

I love to feed my overweight dog
the kind of food that keeps him healthy
so he doesn’t get a heart attack.
O, how I love my dog Jumbo.