Myakka City bear named Bruno chases America's Favorite Pet crown

When Bearadise Ranch owner Monica Welde saw that the America's Favorite Pet competition expanded to include animals other than household pets this year, she immediately thought about her own bears.

She needed a big personality.

Or in this case, something really, really big.

Enter Bruno. 

At 8 feet tall (standing straight up) and 750 pounds, 20-year-old Bruno is one of Welde's Syrian brown bears.

"When I sit with him, he is just so massive," Welde said. "It's just his size and his personality."

Welde picked Bruno for the contest over Bearadise Ranch celebrity bear Carroll, who has been on television shows and in commercials. She thought Bruno's presence would impress the voters.

So far, it has.

Welde put together a profile for Bruno and entered the contest in early August. Judges from America's Favorite Pet LLC selected Bruno to go up against contestants from all over the country. In late August, Bruno was selected as one of the top 20 pets, and on Sept. 8, he was named one of the top 15.

Better yet, Bruno currently stands No. 3 overall in the voting.

No. 1 to this point is Phoebe, a terrier. A Friesian stallion named Gabriel is No. 2, and then Bruno.

Of the top 15 pets in the contest, there are seven dogs, three horses, and one cat, gecko, rabbit, parrot and bear.

The field narrows to the top 10 on Sept. 15, and voting ends Oct. 22.

Welde was surfing around Facebook when she found the contest and the fact it had been restructured, now being called America's Favorite Pet — Animal Kingdom. The entry form said "open to animals of all shapes, sizes and species."

"It always had gone to cats and dogs," Welde said. "But there was a new category for exotic animals. Whoa! I decided to enter one of my bears."

The eventual winner of the contest receives $10,000 and an InTouch magazine feature.

Those wanting to vote for Bruno can go to AmericasFavPet.com/2022/bruno-3. Although anyone who wants to vote can do so for free once a day, those who want to register multiple votes can make a donation to the Paws Foundation, which rehabilitates orphaned and injured wildlife and also runs shelters that adopt out homeless cats and dogs.

Welde's profile of Bruno calls him "Amazing, awesome, intelligent, loving and gentle. Bear ambassador."

The profile describes the funniest thing Bruno does is "pick up an 'Applause' sign and clap along."

Bruno's go-to treats are honey, peanut butter dog biscuits and sweet potatoes.

She said Bruno should be America’s favorite pet because "he is an animal ambassador for his wild cousins to bring awareness to bears and what they are facing in the wild today, and he reminds people of the importance of conservation and habitat preservation for all bear species."

She writes in the profile that she would use the prize money to enhance the bear habitat even more at Bearadise in Myakka City.

"I never thought it would go this far," Welde said. "I am shocked."