If you’re lucky enough to live with a domesticated animal, you’ve most likely seen them at their goofiest. Animals may look majestic and act regally at times, but they can also be hilariously uncoordinated, silly, and (don’t tell them we said this) a little bit slow on the uptake! Luckily for them, we love them in all their derpy glory. They’re not perfect, but neither are we!
Friends Paul Joynson-Hicks and Tom Sullam started a Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards competition a few years ago to celebrate those dork-tastic wildlife photos that rarely see the light of day. The competition was such a big hit that they launched a similar one called Comedy Pet Photography Awards in 2020. These images are of your everyday cats, dogs, and other critters pulling their craziest faces and caught in their klutziest moments. We can’t get enough!
1. Paul and Tom are based in the United Kingdom, but this is a global competition.
2. To enter the competition, contestants pay £5 (about $6.38) to submit 5 images or videos. For more money, you can enter up to 15 images.
3. There’s also a junior category, which is free for kids under age 16.
4. Â The rules stipulate, “no clothes, hats or glasses on any pets or domestic creatures please and always be aware of how you are treating your pet.”
5. There are 7 categories total. One is strictly for 10-second-or-less videos. For images, the categories are dog, cat, horse, all other creatures, pets that look like their owners, and junior.
6. The Overall Best Image of the Comedy Pet Photo Award receives a “bespoke trophy,” a £500 ($638) cash prize, and a Speedtop Crossbody Bag courtesy of ThinkTANK.
7. Category Winners receive a certificate proclaiming that they are an “Award Winning Photographer.”
8. But since a portion of all entry fees are donated to animal charities, everyone’s a winner!
9. The people behind the Comedy Pet Photography Awards are passionate about animal welfare and sustainability.
10. So we can feel good about laughing at these goofballs!
11. In related news, could someone please Photoshop a microphone into this cat’s paw? Please?
12. Animals really do have the most expressive faces.
13. They make it impossible to take life too seriously.
14. Who could have a bad day when they’re looking at this guy?
15. Only time will tell if this foal inherits his mama’s sense of humor. Let’s hope so!
We didn’t need another reason to love animals, but this is a great one anyway! While the competition has ended for 2023, we’re hopeful that they’ll be back in action with more comedic pets very soon.
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You can find the sources of this story’s featured image here and here.
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