Our furry friends give us joy, comfort, companionship and, of course, lots of laughs. So why not celebrate them for all the hilarious predicaments they may find themselves in?
That’s exactly what the annual Comedy Pet Photography Awards seek to do. This year, they’ve brought together the funniest and fluffiest that pet photographers have to offer, with 25 finalists vying for the title of 2023’s Comedy Pet Winner.
The awards were created by professional photographers Paul Joynson-Hicks and Tom Sullam to honour the “positive and vital role that pets have in our lives and to encourage engagement around animal welfare,” according to a press release.
The finalists were revealed on Friday and will face ruff tough scrutiny from a panel of judges to determine this year’s overall winner, which will be announced on Aug. 11. There’s also a people’s choice category where the public can have their say.
Scroll through some of our favourite finalists, along with a small description of the images written by the photographers themselves.
A life-changing event
A kitten leaps to pounce on another.
Michel Zoghzoghi/Comedy Pets
“Alex and Max are two rescued kittens. Alex is the shy one. Max is the playful one. Together they form a lethally cute duo. I had more fun taking photos of these two than during my most adventurous wildlife photography trips,” writes Michel Zoghzoghi of Beirut, Lebanon.
Barking!
A dog jumps in the air in front of three people sitting on a park bench.
Chris Porsz/Comedy Pets
“In March 2019 I was sat in the Union Square New York dog run when I spotted a lady with a pink bag on her hand (to keep her hand clean) throwing a ball to her dog which was sat down facing her. The dog then launched itself and flipped in mid air to face me and snap!
“I have searched in vain via the N.Y. media to find the owner so that I can send her a copy. No joy, so I am hoping this Pet Comedy competition can help me find the mystery woman and her leaping dog. You never know!” writes Chris Porsz of Peterborough, U.K.
The big boss
A cat sits down like a human might.
Kenichi Morinaga/Comedy Pets
“The Big Boss is the boss around here,” writes Kenichi Morinaga of Fukuoka, Japan. “He is gentle.”
When digging a hole gets serious
A dog doing a handstand in the sand.
Sophie Boynton/Comedy Pets
“Shadow was digging holes as normal at the beach, when all of a sudden he was showing off his new technique! Luckily the camera was at the ready for this crazy position,” writes Sophie Boynton of Hull, U.K.
Victory
A cat standing on two legs stretching towards the sky.
Kazutoshi Ono/Comedy Pets
“Perfect landing pose, right?” writes Kazutoshi Ono of Miyagi Sendai, Japan. He adds that this is his rescue cat and the photo was taken in his own home.
The three greys
Two dogs with long hair sit beside a woman with long hair.
Klaus Peter Selzer/Comedy Pets
“Don’t they all look almost the same?” Klaus-Peter Selzer of Dillingen, Germany asks. He said the two Afghan Windhounds pictured are the woman’s dogs.
Albert Einstein
A cat sticks its tongue out at the camera.
Masayoshi Yamamoto/Comedy Pets
“He sticked [sic] out his tongue at me (like the) famous Einstein photo,” writes Masayoshi Yamamoto of Osaka, Japan.
Football free kick
A cat stands tall on two feet surrounded by other cats.
Kenichi Morinaga/Comedy Pets
This is Morinaga’s second entry in this year’s competition. He describes the cat as waiting for a free kick in their game of football.
So this is the source of happiness…
A dog sits among hemp plants.
Corinna Mooser
“That explains so much,” jokes Corinna Mooser of Dübendorf, Switzerland. She adds, “don’t worry, it’s just regular hemp for industry.”
The first outdoor walk
A little ferret yawning.
Darya Zelentsova/Comedy Pets
“Tiny happy ferret Boudicca (only 2.5 months old!) enjoys her first outdoor walk,” writes Darya Zelentsova of Amherst, U.S.
Oscar!
A dog sticks its tongue out as its long ears flap in the wind.
Lana Polyakova/Comedy Pets
“Yes, his name is Oscar. He is an Afghan greyhound and is very pleased with himself,” writes Lana Polyakova of St. Petersburg, Russia.
Is it a seal or a dog?
A dog sticks its head out between couch cushions.
Monyque Macedo Dos Santos/Comedy Pets
“There’s a hiding place under the sofa where Louis (the dog) likes to hide,” writes Monyque Macedo Dos Santos of Brasilia, Brazil. “That day I took his tennis ball from ‘his place,’ he got angry and put his head out through the hole barking asking for his ball back. That’s when he turned into this angry seal, and I decided to register the moment.”
Edgar’s dandelion
A turtle munches on dandelions.
Jonathan Casey Edgars/Comedy Pets
“Beautiful Edgar’s favourite food are the leaves and flowers of dandelions. Here she is seen taking her time to savour the flavour,” writes Jonathan Casey of Wymondham, U.K.
Who are you?
A dog touches noses with a mouse.
Udo Krauss/Comedy Pets
“Our cat Lilly played with a mouse, we saved the mouse, and our dog Amy was fascinated,” writes Udo Krauss of Lichtenfels, Germany.
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