From a manspreading cat to the canine incarnation of Zorro, this year’s Comedy Pet Photo Finalists remind us how much happiness companion animals bring to our lives!
First established in 2020, the Comedy Pet Photo Awards celebrate the special moments we share with our pets and engage the broader population in the feel-good vibes of these adorable animals to promote better welfare.
Comedy Pet Photo Award Winners for 2023
A Life-Changing Event
The overall winner of the Comedy Pet Photo Awards for 2023 is Michel Zoghzoghi. His photograph showcases the contrasting personalities of a rescue cat duo, with playful Max ready to pounce on an unsuspecting Alex.
Not only do these black and white beauties bring a smile to our faces, but their story reminds us what a “life-changing event” adoption can be. The general perception of adopting rescue animals is that we are “saving” them, but often they can save us too.
Thousands of animals are waiting for their forever family to find them; many have been neglected and abused. Still, watching how your nurture and care bring out the trust, playfulness, and happiness inside them is a most rewarding experience. These companion animals teach us responsibility, help to promote a healthy lifestyle, and reward us with unconditional love.
All Creatures Great And Small
Taking home the prize for All Other Creatures is the adorable five-month-old ferret Boudicca enjoying her first walk outside. Did you know that the word ferret translates to “little thief” in Latin, most likely attributed to their love of secreting items away?
Companion animals come in all shapes and sizes – not just cats and dogs – and discovering your pet’s unique personality is a joyful experience. We understand the importance of equal care for all animal companions, which is why Mad Paws pet sitter services offer care for not only cats and dogs but guinea pigs, rabbits, and birds too!
Pets Who Look Like Their Owners
A photograph of a German lady and her two dogs entitled “The Three Greys” won this category, and we can see why – at first glance, it’s hard to differentiate the human from the dogs! Many of us have heard the saying that couples begin to look like each other after spending years together, so is the same true for our animal companions?
Surprisingly, science says yes! Psychologist Michael Roy was one of the first to conduct a study into the phenomena and found that people could correctly match most pets to their owners based on photographs taken at dog parks.
The reason for this is our love of the familiar; we tend to find ourselves drawn to those (people or animals) who possess similar characteristics to ourselves. Still, it’s about more than just looks. Research also determined that pets were also likely to share various personality traits with their owners, such as extroversion or agreeableness.
Notable past winners & finalists:
Drama Queen, by Anne Lindner
Jurassic Bark, by Carmen Cromer
Smokin’ Alpaca, by Stefan Brusius
Happy Horses, by Radim Filipek
No Pets? No Worries!
Not everyone can house pets for several reasons, such as finances or living arrangements. Still, if you love animals, you can enjoy their fun and playfulness in several ways. Spend time with friends with pets and offer to house sit for them. Better still, register as a pet sitter and get paid to have fun with these furballs.
With the flexibility to choose your own hours, work with the animals you want to work with, and have support and advice from the Mad Paws team, this is the perfect way to enjoy some time with animals. Who knows – you could take the next winning photo for the Comedy Pet Awards 2024.
What Makes The Comedy Pet Photo Awards So Special?
Though these awards are still in their infancy, they’re already making an impact with participants engaging from all over the world. In the words of the co-creators, these awards aim to “ promote positive awareness of animal welfare issues and celebrate the incredible and valuable contribution that pets can and do have on our lives.”
Animals enhance our lives through their companionship, loyalty, and love. They get us out and about, help us to stay fit and healthy, and give us purpose. The Pet Photo Awards don’t just make us giggle; they also remind us to be kind to animals because the Earth would shine less brightly without them.
