A Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words: Enter Your Best Snapshots in the American Humane Association’s Pets & Pals Photo Contest™

Starting Monday, June 15, 2009, the American Humane Association will accept entries for its 2009 Pets & Pals Photo Contest™. This popular annual competition encourages photographers of all skills levels to send in shots of animals in four categories. Enter as many photos as you like for a shot at a Grand Prize of $1,000. The call for entries will run only until July 31, 2009, so dust off your camera and take your best shots!

2009 Pets & Pals Photo Contest Categories

1. Pets — Whether they’re dogs, cats, rabbits, ferrets, birds or lizards, they’re your pets and you love them! This category is open to pictures of one or more pets or companion animals of any species.

2. People & Pets — What are we without our pets, and what are our pets without us? Honor a special human-animal bond. This category is open to pictures of one or more companion animals with one or more people.

3. Down on the Farm — Take your pick of the many animals found on a farm and capture a unique shot. This category is open to pictures of one or more farm or ranch animals.

4. Shelter Life — At an animal shelter, amazing, devoted people take care of homeless animals waiting to be adopted. Snap a shot honoring both the animals and the professionals. This category is open to pictures of shelter staff, volunteers, veterinarians, and animal control professionals and/or animals, in shelter settings.
   

Visit www.americanhumane.org/petsandpals for submission guidelines.

The Fine Print

Two Grand Prize winners will be selected: one from categories 1-3, and one from category 4. Each of the two Grand Prize winners will win $1,000. Of the remaining finalists in each category, four Category Winners (one in each category) will each win $500.

Entries will be judged on creativity, composition, photo quality and appropriateness to category.

All entries must be postmarked on or after June 15, 2009, but no later than July 31, 2009, and received no later than Aug. 7, 2009.

Last year’s winners are not eligible to win. Entrants must be 18 or older. One prize per person. Grand Prize winners are not eligible to win Category prizes. See the official rules for more details. Winners will be announced on or about September 10, 2009.

[PHOTO: Daisy the Curly Cat. Buy a Daisy greeting card from Hallmark here.]

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This week is American Humane’s Be Kind to Animals™ week, an event that’s been celebrated every year since 1915. In this annual tradition, American Humane asks all animal lovers to commemorate the role animals play in our lives, promote ways to continue to treat them humanely, and encourage others, especially children, to do the same.

While Be Kind to Animals Week is celebrated only once a year, there are ways people can be kind to animals every day. Here’s how:

Speak out for animals
Get informed about policies and legislation that can impact the animals in your community and throughout the country. Also, register to receive Action Alerts from American Humane — you’ll be able to speak out for animals with just the click of a mouse. Advocacy for animals can make a huge difference in their safety and well-being. Occasionally on The Cat’s Meow, I post stories about animal cruelty cases in which YOU can make a difference … by contacting judges and public officials urging the imposition of the stiffest possible sentence under the law, or by expressing your outrage when the defendants receive slap-on-the-wrist sentences. Taking a couple of minutes to contact public officials can go a long way toward ensuring there is always a zero-tolerance policy in animal cruelty cases. Learn how.

Report animal abuse
Animal cruelty and abuse is not only tragic for animals, but also an indicator that other forms of abuse such as domestic violence could be happening. If you see something that looks suspicious — a dog chained in your neighbor’s yard that looks underfed, a child putting a cat in a box and kicking it around the yard — don’t hesitate. Let someone know. Learn how.

Appreciate wildlife
All animals deserve to be treated humanly — family pets and animals in the wild. Create an inviting space in your yard and garden for butterflies, hummingbirds and other creatures. If wildlife comes too close to home, look for ways to coexist with animals or to protect your property humanely. Learn how.

Adopt a pet from a shelter or rescue
Every year, an estimated 3.7 million animals must be euthanized at our nation’s shelters because they could not be adopted into loving homes. Help animals find a second chance at happiness by adopting your next pet from your local shelter or rescue group. American Humane has tips to find the animal companion that’s right for you and develop a bond that will last a lifetime. Learn how.

Take care of your pet
Pets are like children who never grow up. They need you to help keep them healthy and safe throughout their lives. Keep your animal’s vaccinations up-to-date. Make sure he’s wearing proper identification. Take your pet to the veterinarian regularly. Know what it takes to be a responsible pet owner. Learn how.

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