MAURICEVILLE, Texas — A Mauriceville animal has made to the quarterfinals of the world's largest pet competition and needs help to win it all.
Sylvie is a goat from Mauriceville and is competing to be America’s Favorite Pet. The pet who wins will get $10,000 and will, "pounce into the spotlight with a two-page feature in InTouch Magazine."
Kellie Joe Durbin is Sylvie’s owner. Durbin is excited to be a part of the competition.
Durbin believes her and Sylvie made it this far because she actively created a campaign to launch Sylvie into the finals, by communicating with people on the logistics of the contest and how they will win it.
“She is the G.O.A.T (Greatest Of All Time),” Durbin said. “She’s my whole world.”
Durbin said Sylvie has had a tough life. There was a time when Durbin thought Sylvie might not survive.
“She lost her mom and twin brother early on to coyotes,” Durbin said. “I thought she was gone too until I found her a few days later, covered in flies, malnourished on the edge of death.”
Durbin brought Sylvie in, cleaned her up and bottle fed her. Now, the two are almost inseparable.
“She goes everywhere with me,” Durbin said. “She's my baby She's more than a Goat. She's family.”
Sylvie persevered and became a mother herself on October 2, 2022. Durbin said when Sylvie gave birth, she snuggled up to her.
As much as Sylvie needed Durbin, Durbin needed Sylvie. The goat owner said she could not imagine being without her.
“Shortly after all this happened, our house burnt down,” Durbin said. “So me and my family, and of course my furbabies, had to go to my mother's. She was a major blessing because I got to focus on her instead of everything that we lost.”
During that time at her mother’s house, Durbin and Sylvie bonded.
Southeast Texans can help Sylvie advance in the competition by voting for her on America's Favorite Pet website and by sharing the link with others so they can do the same. There is no limit to the total amount of times a person can vote for Sylvie, but they can only do it once a day.
“It's free,” Durbin said. “Takes one second, just click the blue daily vote button, set a timer, and vote for her again in the next 24 hours, because in this competition, you can only vote for one pet every 24 hours."
Durbin said it would mean the world to her and her family if everyone would vote for Sylvie.
“Or if they wanted to donate, they can click the yellow paws button every $1 equals one vote," Durbin said.
Durbin is asking everyone to go vote for Sylvie before the October 13, 2022 deadline to determine which animals make it to the semifinals.
Voting for the semifinals begins on October 14, 2022 and ends October 20, 2022. After that, voting for the finals begins on October 21, 2022 and ends October 27, 2022.
