Animal Health Institute Selects Judges for 2014's Cutest Pets on Capitol Hill Contest

WASHINGTON, Sept. 9, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The Animal Health Institute (AHI) announced the five judges for this year's Cutest Pets on Capitol Hill contest. The 2014 judges are a mix of new and veteran judges and consist of a diverse group of popular D.C.-area journalists (in alphabetical order):

• Angie Goff — News Channel 4 Washington
• Dr. Katy Nelson aka Dr. Pawz – WJLA/NewsChannel 8, WTOP
• Helena Bottemiller Evich – POLITICO
• Judy Kurtz – The Hill
• Nick Massella – Fishbowl DC

New for 2014, the judges will select the top five cutest pets in each of the three categories – dog, cat, and exotic animal – and then the voting public will determine the overall cutest pet in each contest. Online voting will be held from September 11 to September 15 on AHI's Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/AnimalsHealthy.  

"This year's judges are a mix of online, broadcast and print journalists, and we are thrilled these five can participate in what's become one of the Hill's most beloved annual traditions," said Ron Phillips, Vice President Legislative and Public Affairs, AHI. "Cutest Pets is always a favorite on the Hill and we wanted the general public to be more involved since so many people in Washington D.C. and beyond are animal lovers, so we opened this contest up to everyone."

Winners will be announced at an invite-only ceremony on September 18 that coincides with Pet Night on Capitol Hill. This year's celebrity pets are Marti the dog who portrays "Sandy" in this year's remake of the movie "Annie" and Orion the cat who plays "Buttercup" in the hit movie, "The Hunger Games - Mockingjay Part 1 & 2."

Members of Congress and Hill staffers are eligible to nominate their dogs, cats and/or exotic pets for entry.

For more information, please visit www.ahi.org and www.healthyanimals.org

About The Animal Health Institute

The Animal Health Institute (AHI) represents companies that make medicines for pets and farm animals. AHI and its member companies launched the Healthy People. Healthy Animals. Healthy Planet.  program to educate the public on the disease-prevention continuum. The initiative continues to unite stakeholders in the pet, agriculture, veterinary and public health communities with the goal of eliminating diseases at the nexus of animal and human health. For more information, please visit www.HealthyAnimals.org.

SOURCE Animal Health Institute