Adorable Confused Dog Wins 2024 Comedy Pet Photo Awards

Jun 05, 2024

A black dog peeks its head through a pet door on the left. On the right, an orange cat sits and grooms its paw while a grey and white cat sits nearby with its eyes closed. There are some plants and rocks in the background. — © Sarah Haskell (left), © Kenichi Morinaga (right) | Comedy Pets

The winners of 2024’s Comedy Pet Photo Awards are out, and the images are delightful.

The photography competition, now in its fifth consecutive year, awarded the Overall Winner placement to photographer Sarah Haskell for the image titled “Not just for Cats!” The adorable photo captures Hector, who is notably a dog, attempting to get through a cat flap. If the small size of the opening wasn’t enough of a giveaway, the words “Cat Mate” appear at the top, making it clear Hector isn’t exactly the target audience here.

“Hector saw the cat do it… so thought he would give it a try. This is about as far as he got before reversing out the way he came. I can imagine him thinking, ‘But the cat made it look so easy.’ Not so for Hector!” says Haskell.

A black and white dog with long, floppy ears is peeking its head through a small pet door. The pet door flap is resting on the dog's head as it looks to the side. The frame of the door reads "CAT MATE". The background is a plain white wall. — © Sarah Haskell Baldock | Comedy Pets

For winning, Haskell receives £500 (about $639 USD), a camera bag from Think Tank, and a bespoke trophy, according to the Comedy Pet Photo Awards. She said she plans to use the money on a bigger cat flap and some camera gear.

“I have carried a camera pretty much in some form since school days, but it is only recently that I have worked out that pet photography, dog photography in particular, is what I like doing,” Haskell added. “The interaction with these expressive, clever, often comical characters, when I am doing ‘pawtrait’ shoots, can only make me (and others, hopefully) smile!”

A ginger cat with its back to the camera is squeezing under a large rock, with only its hind legs and tail visible. — © Kenichi Morinaga | Comedy Pets

A powerful horse with a dark brown coat and thick feathered legs is captured mid-air in an energetic leap inside a fenced field. Green grass covers the ground and trees are visible in the background, creating a serene, pastoral scene. — © Debby Thomas | Comedy Pets

A cat is playfully dangling in mid-air while gripping a long yellow ribbon with its mouth. The cat's body is fully stretched out, and it appears to be indoors, near a window with curtains. The floor has a wood finish, and the room looks minimalistic. — © Kazutoshi Ono | Comedy Pets

A tortoise with a textured, brown shell is biting a vibrant pink rose. The close-up shot captures the tortoise's head and front legs, with the rose partially inside its mouth. The background is blurred, highlighting the tortoise and the flower. — © Jonathan Casey | Comedy Pets

But Haskell, who also won the Dog Category, is one of many winners. The other winners include Cat Category winner Kenichi Morinaga, Horse Category winner Debby Thomas, People’s Choice Award winner Kazutoshi Ono, All Other Creatures Category winner Jonathan Casey, Pets Who Look Most Like Their Owners Category winner Darya Zelentsova, and Junior Category winner Charlotte Kitchen, who was 16 when she entered the competition.

A smiling man with long curly gray hair and a beard, wearing a dark blue shirt with suspenders, is holding a small black and white fluffy dog. They are outdoors in front of a blurred green background. — © Darya Zelentsova | Comedy Pets

A close-up of a donkey with its mouth wide open, showing its teeth and tongue. The donkey is inside a wooden stable, and part of a light fixture is visible at the top of the image. The scene suggests the donkey may be braying or yawning. — © Charlotte Kitchen | Comedy Pets

Two cats are perched on a grey outdoor sofa, standing upright on their hind legs with their front paws in the air. They appear to be intently watching something beyond the green wooden fence in a garden adorned with blooming white flowers. — © Emma Beardsmore | Comedy Pets

A white and brown dog with a collar is captured mid-air as it jumps with all its legs extended, against a cloudy sky backdrop. The dog appears energetic and joyful, with a sandy ground beneath it. — © Vera Faupel | Comedy Pets

Further, the competition recognized several entrants a “Highly Commended,” including Emma Beardsmore, Vera Faupel, Sylvia Michel (who had two entries recognized), Morinaga (who not only won the Cat Category but also entered and won in prior years), Atsuyuki Ohshima, Luiza Ribeiro, and Julie Smith.

A white dog joyfully leaps into the air, surrounded by a spray of snow on a sunny day in a snow-covered landscape. The sky is bright blue with wispy clouds, accentuating the dog's playful and energetic jump as it appears to be having fun. — © Sylvia Michel | Comedy Pets

A tabby cat with ginger fur gently pats a white and gray cat on the head. They are sitting on a soft surface outdoors with a stone wall and green foliage in the background. The white and gray cat has its eyes partly closed, appearing relaxed. — © Kenichi Morinaga | Comedy Pets

A yawning cat is lounging in a mixing bowl on a kitchen counter. The background features a tiled wall with various kitchen utensils, including a ladle, spatula, and strainer, hanging from hooks. Nearby, there are two pots on the stove. — © Atsuyuki Ohshima | Comedy Pets

A fluffy brown poodle is captured mid-air while running, its ears flapping and legs tucked in. The background is blurred, putting focus on the energetic and joyful dog. — © Julie Smith | Comedy Pets

A close-up of a Yorkshire Terrier with long, flowing fur and large, pointed ears. The dog has a brown and black coat and is looking directly at the camera with a curious expression. The background is blurred, making the dog the focal point of the image. — © Luiza Ribeiro | Comedy Pets

“We’ve had a fantastic competition this year, with so many really good entries from across the globe,” explains Michelle Wood, who helps run the Comedy Pet Photo Awards. “And a record number of Junior entries which makes us very happy. In a world that can be hard to fathom, our pets are the one constant in our lives that make sense and are a vital source of support, joy, and sometimes, great hilarity. We would have a competition to celebrate them every single day if we could, and to be able to share these brilliant winners with you and laugh out loud with these lovable creatures is the reason this competition exists!”

Image credits: Photographs courtesy of the Comedy Pet Photo Awards

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