This contest supports the St. Croix Animal Welfare Center, the island’s only open-admissions shelter, founded in 1973. The winning rescue dog will be featured as the 2026 dog model on Mutiny Island Vodka’s Coconut Retriever label, to be released at a launch party March 25, 2026 at the Sion Farm Distillery.
Grand Prize
Grand Prize winner will be featured on Mutiny Island Vodka’s Coconut Retriever label for all bottles produced in 2026 and recognized across SCAWC and Mutiny Island Vodka marketing channels.
Rules
Contest Dates:
Entry Period: noon (12:00 PM Atlantic Time) on Tuesday, January 20, 2026 through midnight (11:59:59 PM Atlantic Time) on Saturday, January 31, 2026
Voting Period: 12:00 AM (Atlantic Time) on Sunday, February 1, 2026 through 9:00 PM (Atlantic Time) on Sunday, February 15, 2026
Entry Fee:
$5 per entry
Eligibility:
Open to rescue or adopted dogs only. No purchased animals please.
Prize:
Grand prize winner will be featured on Mutiny Island Vodka’s Coconut Retriever label for all bottles produced in 2026 and recognized across SCAWC and Mutiny Island Vodka marketing channels.
Image Disclaimer:
By submitting a photo, entrants confirm they have the right to share the image and grant permission for SCAWC and Mutiny Island Vodka to use submitted images for promotional purposes.
MISSION
Provide and promote the humane treatment of animals through humane education, animal protection, and community service. Our duty is to the orphaned, abused, neglected, and unwanted animals of St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands.
VISION
- Provide an open-admissions animal shelter to the people and animals of St. Croix, so that all animals on St. Croix always have a humane option.
- Find suitable furever homes for as many animals as possible.
- Avoid animals entering the shelter system by offering intervention services that help keep pets in their homes.
- Advocate, educate and promote animal welfare issues and humane treatment within the community.
- Lead by example in terms of animal welfare standards by using the best practices in animal sheltering.
- Provide low-cost, accessible and affordable veterinary care for the people, their pets and the homeless animals of St. Croix.
- Provide an inclusive, supportive and progressive work environment that prioritizes the mental and physical health of our employees.
- Acknowledge and remain actively mindful of the history and cultural framework of the Virgin Islands of the United States, and work within that framework, not against it.
OUR HISTORY
For more than 50 years, the St. Croix Animal Welfare Center has been the only open-admissions shelter on the island of St Croix. We have evolved from a small shelter operating out of a donated residential house, to a mature organization with more than 30 full and part-time employees.
In 2015-2016, with the opening of our low-cost community clinic, we began transitioning from an animal control organization, to a true animal welfare organization. We increased our live release rate from 20% in 2012 to more than 75% in 2022 and beyond, while still maintaining open-admissions status.
However, the journey has not been easy. In 2017, Hurricane Maria devastated the island of St Croix and destroyed our former Clifton Hill location. After several years, the shelter, clinic and adoptions center are still housed in temporary facilities.