Golden retriever Milo Bear wins the 2026 Hambone Award

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 insurance claim of the year.

What started as holiday fun turned into a frightening ordeal when Milo Bear bolted up a snowy trail after being startled by a car horn. His family searched for weeks, posted thousands of flyers and followed reported sightings through deep snow, but kept coming home empty-handed.

Then came the call they had been hoping for: Milo’s microchip had been scanned 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. The runners-up, who will also receive Petco gift cards, were:

• Henry, a fetch-obsessed Labrador retriever from Colorado, chased a ball into a yard cleanup area and impaled his paw on a rake prong. After his pet parent contacted Nationwide’s VetHelpline for guidance, Henry received care and is back to chasing tennis balls.
• Hobbes, a domestic shorthair cat from Arizona, slipped past his owner and dashed into the garage just as the door 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.