(BIVN) – Darby, the miniature horse from Waimea, is among the “Pet Partners Pet of the Year” candidates. 

Darby was recently featured during a visit to Queen’s North Hawaiʻi Community Hospital on Valentine’s Day, and is said to be the first pet from Hawai’i ever to be nominated for the national award.

photo courtesy QNHCH

The Pet Partners Pet of the Year is a six-week fundraising competition. From a Pet Partners news release:

Darby is one of approximately 50 pets who has been nominated nationwide and is entering the last days as a finalist in this six-week fundraising competition for the national title. The candidate who raises the most funds for Pet Partners by March 18 will be crowned Pet of the Year. Darby is in fierce competition with teams from the mainland. Every dollar for Pet Partners in Darby’s name is a vote and every vote for Darby is also a vote for Hawaii!

Pet Partners is the nation’s leading organization registering therapy animals for animal-assisted interventions. Funds raised as part of the Pet of the Year competition will support Pet Partners’ Therapy Animal Program, which brings unconditional love, happiness, and healing to millions of seniors, patients, veterans, children, and others in need through therapy animal visits.

“At Pet Partners, we are motivated by connection, compassion, and a commitment to sharing the human-animal bond with everyone who can benefit from time spent with an animal,” said C. Annie Peters, President & CEO of Pet Partners. “Thanks to fundraising events like Pet Partners Pet of the Year, thousands of registered therapy animal teams are able to make millions of visits annually.”

photo courtesy QNHCH