PATSY Award

The PATSY Award was originated by the Hollywood office of the American Humane Association in 1939. They decided to honor animal performers after a horse was killed in an on-set accident during the filming of the Tyrone Power film "Jesse James". The letters are an acronym, and stand for Picture Animal Top Star of the Year. A later acronym was also included: Performing Animal Television Star of the Year.
The very first recipient of a PATSY was Francis the Talking Mule in 1951, in a ceremony hosted by Ronald Reagan at Hollywood's Carthay Circle Theater. The award later covered both film and television and was separated into four categories: canine, equine, wild and special. The special category encompassed everything from goats to cats to pigs – Arnold Ziffel of TV's "Green Acres" was a two-time winner. Arnold's trainer, Frank Inn, was the proud owner of over 40 PATSY awards, thanks to his work with Orangey, the cat from "Rhubarb" (1951) and "Breakfast at Tiffany's" (1961); Higgins, the dog (who played the lead in the "Benji" movies and "Dog" on "Petticoat Junction"); Cleo the Basset Hound; and Lassie, and Tramp the dog from "My Three Sons" to name a few. Lassie was retired to the PATSY Hall of Fame after receiving many awards over the years.
The Craven Award was named in honor of Richard C. Craven, the first director of the Hollywood AHA. It recognized animals that would normally have had no opportunity to appear in a starring role. The TV and Movie Animal Walk of Fame was established in front of the Burbank Animal Shelter, honoring certain early recipients of the PATSY Awards.
By the 1970s, the awards were being presented in a televised ceremony, with animal recipients selected by the general public who voted in ballots which appeared in Associated Press newspapers. The first network presentation was on CBS in 1973.
Over the years the PATSY Award ceremony was hosted by various celebrities, including Betty White, Allen Ludden, and Bob Barker. Barker has stated he eventually resigned in protest of the cruel methods some trainers use when training animals for films.
The awards ended in 1986 due to lack of funding. That year the Genesis Awards were established to honor individuals in the major news and entertainment media for producing outstanding works which raise public awareness of animal issues. In 2011 the American Humane Society announced the creation of the Pawscars, described as, "an unofficial, animal-centric spin on the Oscars."
The American Humane Association is the organization responsible for the disclaimer at the end of many films and television programs that "No Animals Were Harmed" in the production.
PATSY Award Winners (partial listing).
Source, 1951–1973:
1951.
Motion Pictures
Award of Excellence
Craven Award
1952.
Motion Pictures
Award of Excellence
Craven Award
1953.
Motion Pictures
Award of Excellence
Craven Award
1954.
Motion Pictures
Award of Excellence
Craven Award
1955.
Motion Pictures
Award of Excellence
Craven Award
1956.
Motion Pictures
Award of Excellence
Craven Award
1957.
Motion Pictures
Award of Excellence
Craven Award
1958.
Motion Pictures
Television
Award of Excellence
Craven Award
1959.
Motion Pictures
Television
Award of Excellence
Craven Award
1960.
Motion Pictures
Television
Craven Award
1961.
Motion Pictures
Television
1962.
Motion Pictures
Television
1963.
Motion Pictures
Television
Craven Award
1964.
Motion Pictures
Television
1965.
Motion Pictures
Television
Craven Award
1966.
Motion Pictures
Television
Craven Award
1967.
Motion Pictures
Television
1968.
Motion Pictures
Television
1969.
Motion Pictures
Television
1970.
Motion Pictures
Television
Craven Award
1971.
Motion Pictures
Television
1972.
Motion Pictures
Television
Craven Award
1973.
Motion Pictures)
Television
Television Movie
Television Commercials (new category)
Sharon (Lewis) Evans AHA PATSY Award winner 1st Place with "Midnight" the Cat for best animal performance in a TV Series. American 
Humane Association "The National Review", June 1974 issue.
1974.
Motion Pictures
1976.
Motion Pictures
Trophy listing.
The February 1, 1999, episodes of "Antiques Roadshow" features the 1967 American Humane Association Trophy for Outstanding Achievement in Motion Pictures, appraised by Leila Dunbar. On the trophy's base is a series of plaques listing the top winner in this category, matched with the year of the animal's movie work rather than the year the award was bestowed. The plaques list: