Open for Entries and Voting Starting June 1
It’s time to start picking out the PURR-FECT photo! Our annual calendar pet photo contest is one of our biggest and most popular fundraisers of the year and it starts soon. Entry submission and voting will open June 1!
Throughout the month of June, you can submit your pets’ photos and ask your friends and family to vote for your pet. All submitted pictures will make an appearance in the calendar, but the animals with the most votes will win some pretty cool prizes. Find more details on those below.
The contest is open to everyone — you don’t have to live in Alexandria or have adopted your animal from the AWLA.
How to Enter and Win
Visit the AWLA Calendar Contest homepage here. When the contest opens, upload your pet’s photo and information, and make your $35 donation to the AWLA (which includes a mailed printed calendar). Next, encourage your friends and family to go to the homepage and vote ($1 per vote) for your pet to be the big winner! The contest runs until 8 p.m. on June 30.
Keep an eye on our social media and your email for challenges to help you win bonus votes throughout the month.
Prizes
The top dog (or cat, or bird, or bunny) with the most votes on June 30 with be our GRAND PRIZE WINNER and will grace the front and back cover of our 2026 calendar, receive a professional pet photo shoot, receive year-round invitations to AWLA events as “Alexandria’s 2026 Animal of the Year,” have their photo featured on buses throughout Northern Virginia, be in a full page advertisement in the Zebra, be a guest judge for our Paws in the Park costume contest, and more.
The next three top vote recipients will receive a professional pet photo shoot and a full-page photo in the 2026 calendar and be featured in a full page advertisement. Entries receiving the 5th through 13th-highest vote tallies will receive a quarter-page photo placement on one calendar page.
Entrants who raise at least $250 in votes will receive an invitation to our annual Yappy Hour & Calendar Launch Paw-ty. Entrants who raise at least $500 will be invited to the Yappy Hour and receive a curated Swag Bag.
All entrants will have their photo in the 2026 calendar, receive a free mailed calendar, and have the wonderful feeling of helping make Alexandria an even better home for animals!
All proceeds from calendar contest entries and votes will benefit the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria and our mission to help pets and the people who love them in our community.