A cake heist, a garage door near miss and a 72-day survival story: Meet the 2026 Hambone finalists

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Aug 03, 2026, 10:08 ET

Voting for the most unusual pet insurance claim runs Aug. 3-14

COLUMBUS, Ohio, Aug. 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- One survived weeks alone in the wilderness. Others couldn't resist bingeing on cake, medications, and even a drum. Though their stories were vastly different, all nine furry finalists for Nationwide^® pet insurance's Hambone Award^® share one thing in common: a full recovery.

Voting for the 18^th annual Hambone Award, recognizing the year's most unusual pet insurance claim is underway now through Aug. 14, 2026, at petinsurance.com/hamboneaward. The winner will be announced Aug. 19, 2026.

The Hambone Award was originally named after a Nationwide-insured dog who got stuck in a refrigerator and ate an entire holiday ham while waiting to be discovered. The dog was eventually found, with a licked-clean ham bone and a mild case of hypothermia. He made a full recovery and inspired this award, which highlights the unusual situations pets can get into and how pet insurance can help.

Meet the 2026 Hambone Award finalists

Capone, a Bernedoodle from California, found a baseball in the garage and decided to make it a chew toy. After shredding the ball and swallowing the cover, his pet parents sought guidance from Nationwide's VetHelpline^® before Capone received treatment and made a full recovery.
Diesel and Matilda, beagles from Arizona, followed their noses straight to trouble when they snuck into the pantry and devoured nearly an entire two-tier red velvet cake. Their sweet tooth quickly led to concern, but both dogs ultimately made full recoveries.
Hampden, a goldendoodle from Texas, made his frustration over a delayed dinner known by tearing apart a vintage Ugandan drum and eating the drum skin. Veterinarians later removed half a drum from his stomach, and Hampden made a full recovery.
Henry, a fetch-obsessed Labrador retriever from Colorado, chased a ball into a yard cleanup area and impaled his paw on a rake prong. After his pet parent contacted Nationwide's VetHelpline for guidance, Henry received care and is back to chasing tennis balls.
Hobbes, a domestic shorthair cat from Arizona, slipped past his owner and dashed into the garage just as the door was closing. He made it past the safety sensors but not the garage door itself. When his owner found him trapped, Hobbes was rushed for treatment and was soon back in action.
Lilliya and Noelle, borzois from Wisconsin, teamed up for a prescription-powered misadventure after opening a drawer and helping themselves to an entire bottle of their beef liver-flavored pet prescription. After consuming all 14 tablets, the duo required immediate treatment but ultimately made full recoveries.
Lulu, a mixed-breed dog from Illinois, was keeping watch for squirrels from her favorite chaise lounge when she slipped and landed on a metal candle holder, which pierced into her leg. After receiving stitches and pain medication, Lulu returned to squirrel duty.
Milo Bear, a golden retriever from Nevada, disappeared into the snowy wilderness near Lake Tahoe after being startled during a Christmas Day outing. Following an extraordinary search and 72 days on his own, Milo's microchip was scanned at a shelter and he was reunited with his family after receiving care.
Rolly, a standard poodle from Florida, turned his passion for chasing iguanas into a much bigger problem when he decided to eat a dead one. The unusual meal left him seriously ill, but Rolly made a full recovery.

All nominated pets have made full recoveries and received reimbursements for eligible veterinary expenses from Nationwide pet insurance. For full stories, photos of the nominees, and to cast your vote daily between August 3-14, 2026, visit petinsurance.com/hamboneaward.

"Though these stories begin with unexpected pet mishaps, the Hambone Award celebrates what happens next: the extraordinary bond between people and pets, and the compassionate care that helps turn close calls into recoveries," said Dr. Emily Tincher, Chief Veterinary Officer for Nationwide. "We're proud that Nationwide could provide financial peace of mind during a stressful time, helping families focus on what matters most: their pets' recovery."

The nominee with the most votes will receive the coveted Hambone Award trophy and a Petco gift card, while two runners-up will also receive Petco gift cards.

To explore pet health insurance coverage for dogs, cats and many avian and exotic pets, visit PetInsurance.com.

About Nationwide pet insurance
With more than 1 million actively insured pets, Nationwide is the first and one of the largest providers of pet insurance in the United States. Nationwide pet insurance plans cover dogs, cats, birds and exotic pets for multiple medical problems and conditions relating to accidents, illnesses and injuries. Medical plans are available in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Products underwritten by Veterinary Pet Insurance Company (CA), Columbus, OH; National Casualty Company (all other states), Columbus, OH. Agency of Record: DVM Insurance Agency. All are subsidiaries of Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company. Products and discounts not available to all persons in all states. Insurance terms, definitions and explanations are intended for informational purposes only and do not in any way replace or modify the definitions and information contained in individual insurance contracts, policies or declaration pages, which are controlling. Pet owners can find Nationwide pet insurance on Instagram. For more information about Nationwide pet insurance, call 800-USA-PETS (800-872-7387) or visit petinsurance.com.

About Nationwide
Nationwide, a Fortune 100 company based in Columbus, Ohio, is one of the largest and strongest diversified financial services and insurance organizations in the United States. Nationwide is rated A+ by Standard & Poor's. An industry leader in driving customer-focused innovation, Nationwide provides a full range of insurance and financial services products including auto, business, homeowners, farm and life insurance; public and private sector retirement plans, annuities and mutual funds; excess & surplus, specialty and surety; and pet, motorcycle and boat insurance.

For more information about Nationwide and Nationwide's ratings, visit www.nationwide.com or Company Ratings -- Nationwide.

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Testimonials provided by actual Nationwide members who participated in the Hambone Award® campaign. Views expressed by the member belong solely to the member and not Nationwide, its affiliates, or employees. Hambone Award nominees are eligible for a prize based on public votes during a contest period.

All nominees considered for the Hambone Award have made full recoveries and their owners received insurance reimbursement for eligible veterinary expenses, subject to the terms and conditions of their applicable policies. Deductible and/or co-insurance may apply.

Telehealth services may be subject to and limited by state law. Your telehealth veterinary healthcare professional may help you determine if an in-person visit is necessary or recommended. VetHelpline services are supplied solely by FirstVet, which is a separate company from Nationwide. Nationwide is not responsible for the services provided.

Pet insurance products underwritten by Veterinary Pet Insurance Company (CA), Columbus, OH; National Casualty Company (all other states), Columbus, OH. Agency of Record: DVM Insurance Agency. All are subsidiaries of Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company. Nationwide, the Nationwide N and Eagle, VetHelpline, Hambone Award and Nationwide is on your side are service marks of Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company. Third party marks are the property of their respective owners. ©2026 Nationwide.

Contact:
Bethany Eippert
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