Pet Idol '09 - the shortlisted horses and birds

Now it is the turn of the birds and horses which are in the running to take the crown as the region’s number one pet.

Readers have been voting in their thousands after hundreds of proud pet owners sent in their entries, which were printed in a special supplement in November.

After you voted in record numbers – nearly 6,000 votes – for the pets you liked best, here are the top three birds and top three horses which are in contention for the award in each category.

A panel of judges, including Paul Godwin, of Just for Pets, editor of your Worcester News Kevin Ward and the newspaper’s promotions manager Sarah Bevan, will pick the winners from the five categories we have featured this week.

The winners – and, of course their owners – will be invited to a special awards ceremony at the store Just for Pets, where this year’s top pet will be crowned Pet Idol 2009.

Name:Hamish
Owner:Beth Farmer
What makes him/her a Pet Idol?: He is a local celebrity who was rescued by two local ladies and is loved by all the villagers.

Name:Fluff and Curly
Owner:Samantha Trend
What makes him/her a Pet Idol?: Two little Dartmoor brothers who were saved from the nasty meat man.

Name:Lady
Owner:Collins
What makes him/her a Pet Idol?: A small, unique horse with a big attitude.

Name:Buster
Owner:Seth Pearson
What makes him/her a Pet Idol?: A five-year-old talking Yellow Crown Amazon parrot, who loves to play with pots and pans.

Name:Monty
Owner:Debbie Locke
What makes him/her a Pet Idol?: Monty is a special little boy because he copes well with his epileptic fits.

Name:Rio
Owner:Duncan Carstairs
What makes him/her a Pet Idol?:When I get home from work, he shouts: “Here's dad!”