Nationwide’s 18th annual contest recognizes the most unusual pet insurance claims
COLUMBUS, Ohio, Aug. 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — After surviving 72 days lost in the mountains near Lake Tahoe, Milo Bear, a golden retriever from Nevada, is home, and now, he’s also the winner of the 18th annual Hambone Award. The contest presented by Nationwide® recognizes the most unusual pet claim of the year.
Milo is devoted to his family and loves playing in the snow. However, during a Christmas Day trip to the mountains, a sudden noise startled Milo as he was getting into the family’s car. He bolted up a cross-country ski trail and disappeared.
His family chased after him, but Milo was gone, lost in the wilderness for 72 days until his microchip was pinged at a shelter. He was incredibly thin but otherwise unscathed. After spending four days in the vet hospital receiving expert care, he was able to return home to his family, who call it a miracle.
“The joy of being reunited with a beloved pet after weeks of uncertainty is hard to put into words. Milo’s journey reflects the determination of his family, his own incredible resilience, and the importance of getting pets the care they need when the unexpected happens. Stories like his are exactly what the Hambone Awards were created to celebrate,” said Emily Tincher, Chief Veterinary Officer at Nationwide.
Nationwide hosted a public vote from August 3-14, 2026 to determine the most unusual pet insurance claim story and two runners-up from a group of nine finalists. More than 11,000 votes were cast. Milo received the Hambone Award trophy and a Petco gift card, and the runners up will also receive Petco gift cards.
The runners-up were:
- Henry, a Labrador retriever from Colorado who’s obsessed with fetch, chased a ball into his yard, stepped on a rake and punctured his paw. His parent contacted Nationwide’s VetHelpline for guidance, and now, Henry is healed and back to chasing tennis balls.
- Hobbes, a domestic shorthair cat from Arizona, slipped past his owner and dashed under a garage just as it was closing. He made it past the safety sensors but not the garage door itself. When his owner found him trapped, Hobbes was rushed for treatment and was soon back in action.
The Hambone Award was named after a Nationwide-insured dog who got stuck in a refrigerator and ate an entire holiday ham. Later, the dog was found with a mild case of hypothermia and the hambone, all that remained of his feast. You can click here to read the stories of the complete list of 2026 Hambone Award nominees.
All nominated pets have recovered and received reimbursements for eligible veterinary expenses from Nationwide® pet insurance.
To explore pet health insurance coverage for dogs, cats and many avian and exotic pets, visit PetInsurance.com.
About Nationwide
Nationwide, a Fortune 100 company based in Columbus, Ohio, is one of the largest and strongest diversified financial services and insurance organizations in the United States. Nationwide is rated A+ by Standard & Poor’s. An industry leader in driving customer-focused innovation, Nationwide provides a full range of insurance and financial services products including auto, business, homeowners, farm and life insurance; public and private sector retirement plans, annuities and mutual funds; excess & surplus, specialty and surety; and pet, motorcycle and boat insurance.
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