Cranberry girl's tribute to dog wins poster contest

As soon as she found out about a poster contest being sponsored by Animal Friends, Katrina Hirsch knew that she wanted to enter a poster of her late dog, Midnight.

"I have pretty happy memories of Midnight, so that's what I wanted to do," said Hirsch, 14, of Cranberry, an eighth-grader in the Pennsylvania Distance Learning Charter School.

Midnight, a mixed black lab and collie, was killed by a car several years ago. She has been replaced with several goldfish, another dog, a cat and a rabbit.

Animal Friends received more than 800 entries in its "Be Kind to Animals" art contest, up from just 200 submissions last year.

Hirsch's poster, which won in her grade level's category, will be displayed at the Animal Friends office in Ohio Township.

"Pets make our community a better place, and Katrina's artwork will make this a better place," said Jolene Miklas, a spokeswoman for the animal shelter.

Hirsch's winning entry included the line "Kindness is shown in many ways," and incorporated a picture of a girl hugging her dog.

"I like to draw animated animals as well as people. I was so excited to hear about the contest and couldn't wait to start," she said.

It was a surprise win, she said.

"I had high hopes that I would win, but I never thought I would. There were so many people in the contest," she said.

Hirsch said she has never taken an art class.

"I have learned art, how to draw, out of books," she said. "You have to be very diligent and patient to do it."