The search for Swindon Advertiser's perfect pet has come to an end and a worthy four-legged winner has been chosen. 

The votes have been counted and the Adver can reveal that the winner of the Perfect Pet 2022 competition, and winner of a £50 voucher, is the Hungarian Vizsla Pablo.

Owner 27-year-old autism school worker Helen Oxby from Upper Stratton said she never thought the 'mischievous' two-year-old hound would win. 

"I couldn’t believe it, honestly, myself and my family were just ecstatic, really happy," she said. 

Swindon Advertiser:

"I had no idea we’d actually win. Partly because it was a perfect pet competition and he's often far from perfect.

"But he’s just so lovable, so if anyone was going to vote why not him - just look at his face."

300 Swindon locals entered their beloved pets for the competition and the entrants appeared in a huge gallery, including reptiles, horses, a snail and amphibians, as well as dogs, cats and rabbits.

All of those animals were whittled down to a shortlist of 10 which Adver readers then had to vote on by using coupons printed in the paper between April 27 and May 4. 

Read: Cats, dogs rabbits and a goose make it into Perfect Pets final

Pablo faced stiff competition in the final shortlist with a pair of rabbits, a goose, two cats, a puppy in a bucket and five picturesque pooches all vying for the title. 

In the end Teddy the cat, owned by Tom Newbery, narrowly missed out and came in second place and Hayley Baker's gorgeous dog Tilda-roo getting the bronze.

Swindon Advertiser:

"After the win I took him down to the local park. But he's constantly spoiled, he gets treated like a grandchild," Hannah said.

Helen's partner, Ashley Hunt, 29, had always wanted a dog and the coronavirus lockdown gave the couple the perfect excuse to get one.

Prior to that they had done years of research, even going to Crufts to see all the different types of breeds available, and they ended up falling in love with Vislas. 

"We went to Swansea to collect him, there were ten puppies and they were all girls apart from him. He was the runt of the litter and he was perfect. 

"We didn’t really have dogs in the family before, he’s part of the family now for sure. He was straight in as soon as we had him and now we couldn't imagine life without him."