March 12, 2009 | Read Time: 1 minute
The Humane Society of the United States has raised more than $500,000 with its second annual online pet photo contest. The Spay Day contest raises money to pay for pet-sterilization services across the country.
The competition allows pet owners to upload a photo of their animal onto the contest Web site in one of two categories.
The first, the “Judged” category, costs nothing to enter; winners are selected by a panel of judges.
But with the second, “Fundraisers” category, pet owners enter their companion animal in the contest by making an online donation of $5 or more.
Then they solicit friends and family members to cast votes, each costing $1. A minimum of $5 is required from each voter.
Among the prizes for the pet with the most votes: a studio session with Amanda Jones, a photographer known for her work with animals, and a signed copy of the book Marley & Me.
The Humane Society this year used a tool on Facebook, the social-networking site, to make it easy for contest entrants to seek votes. Facebook users can register their pet in the contest, post the animal’s photo and contest profile, and, with a few keystrokes, invite their online friends to vote.
More than 45,000 pets, mostly dogs and cats, were entered in the contest.
In addition to a photo, their owners have posted information on each animal, including its name, favorite activity, and most endearing bad habit.
With a little more than two days left to go in the voting, Martina, a dog who “loves to play and carry her stuffed animals around,” was in first place in the Fundraisers category, having captured more than 2,700 votes.
To get there: Go to http://photocontest.humanesociety.org.
