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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - A couple of four-legged Yellowknifers are celebrities now that their pictures are gracing lottery tickets across Western Canada.

O.D., an Alaskan malamute, pictured here with owner Kelley Weatherby, was chosen as a mascot for the Lucky Dog lottery after winning a Western-Canada-wide contest. - Kevin Allerston/NNSL photo

Kelley Weatherby's Alaskan malamute O.D. and Trudy Hause Wisnoski's golden yorkie/schnauzer Mr. Ellwood had their pictures submitted to the Western Canada Lottery Association, who held a contest in January and February to select new dogs to represent its scratch-and-win Lucky Dog lottery.

Pictures of the pets appear on the tickets.

"I was very surprised when I first found out. I didn't think he would win," said Weatherby.

She said she saw the contest advertised in Yellowknifer earlier this year and submitted a picture she had taken a few years earlier.

"So I had taken this picture of him back in 2008 and he looks very indignant and his tongue is sticking out, and they saw this picture, and people loved it, and he won," said Weatherby.

The Western Canada Lottery Corporation received 21,207 submissions with 10 winners selected throughout the western provinces and territories - Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, the Yukon, Nunavut and the Northwest Territories. All winners received $500 and a framed copy of the ticket with their dog on it. The dogs will appear on tickets until June 30, 2012.

Weatherby thinks O.D. may be the perfect candidate to be a Lucky Dog mascot, given his troubled history.

"He actually came as a stray to our yard (across from the Sand Pits) back in April 2006, and he was dying," said Weatherby.

"I don't think he had two more days in him. He was starving to death. You could see all his ribs, he could barely walk from extreme malnutrition. He really is the lucky dog because he was dying."

Weatherby, who co-owns Weatherby Trucking, had her company match the $500 from the lottery corporation and donated it to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals on O.D.'s behalf.

For her part, Wisnoski said she was extremely excited to learn Mr. Ellwood had won, but not entirely surprised.

"I just about had a coronary," said Wisnoski. "You know how when you scan tickets at the lottery booth it goes 'Woo Hoo!'- that's what I did.

"I dunno, he's cute as a button, so how could he not (win)?"

She said she learned about the contest through a co-worker at Great Slave Helicopters.

"I was like 'well, I have two furry friends, so I entered them both and he got the most votes," said Wisnoski.

Wisnoski said her framed ticket will adorn her dog wall-of-fame, and that while she has no immediate plans for the $500, some dog treats for Mr. Ellwood are definitely in order.

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