Bruin wins the 2021 Hambone Award

Bruin, a three-year-old German Shepherd from Stevenson Ranch, California who miraculously survived a harrowing 400-foot tumble into a canyon and four days alone while seriously injured, has won the 13th annual Hambone Award®. As the nation’s largest provider of pet health insurance, Nationwide® presents the award to recognize the most unusual pet insurance claim of the year and, more importantly, honor local veterinary practices for the extraordinary care they provide during emergency situations.

In Bruin’s case, he fell or jumped off a steep cliff to flee from well-intentioned men trying to help the lost dog who has a distrust of men after enduring abuse at the hands of a previous owner. Following a multi-day community search, Bruin was eventually found by an off-duty police officer. He was immediately taken to an ACCESS Specialty Animal Hospital where he was treated for a broken femur, collapsed lung, internal bleeding and a shattered leg that required surgery.

In appreciation of the outstanding emergency care and follow-up treatment administered to Bruin, ACCESS Specialty Animal Hospital – Los Angeles received a $10,000 Nationwide-funded award through the Veterinary Care Foundation (VCF) to help pay for care for pets in their community whose owners could otherwise not afford treatment. Bruin’s family received the Hambone Award trophy and other gifts from Nationwide.

The Hambone Award was originally named after a dog who ate an entire Thanksgiving ham while stuck in a refrigerator. Following a public vote earlier this month, Bruin’s compelling rescue and recovery story edged the other three nominees:

• Griffin, a mixed breed dog from Chicago, Illinois, that ingested a full-length bamboo skwere while chowing on a chicken kebob at a holiday barbeque

• Sherlotte, a yellow Lab-golden Retriever mix from Andover, Massachusetts, that sustained injuries after half of her body was submerged in a sinkhole around the site of some utility work in her neighborhood

• Sophie, a miniature Schnauzer from Kissimmee, Florida, that was catapulted out of a golf cart when her owner had to suddenly swerve off the road and onto the sidewalk to avoid a car-golf cart accident

Finalists for this year’s award were determined following a review of more than 2.6 million claims submitted by Nationwide members from across the company’s database of more than 1 million insured pets. All nominated pets have recoverd and received reimbursements for eligible veterinary expenses from Nationwide® pet insurance.

To explore pet health insurance coverage for dogs, cats and many other kinds of pets, visit PetInsurance.com.

About Nationwide pet insurance With more than one million insured pets, Nationwide is the first and largest provider of pet health insurance in the United States. Nationwide pet health 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. Pet owners can find Nationwide pet insurance on Facebook or follow on Twitter. For more information about Nationwide pet insurance, call 800-USA-PETS (800-872-7387) or visit petinsurance.com.