Make your furry friend famous

April 16, 2010. For immediate release.

You already know your pet is a star - now you can make sure everyone else knows it, too.

The BC SPCA announces the 2011 Animal Lovers' Calendar contest, a chance for your furry friend to win one of 12 coveted spots in the non-profit society's popular annual calendar.

"People love photos of animals, particularly their own animals," says Lorie Chortyk, the society's general manager of community relations. "This contest invites them to show off their furry companions and at the same time help animals who are less fortunate."

It only costs $10 to enter the contest, and registration is fun and easy. Guardians simply visit spca.bc.ca/calendarcontest and follow the online process. They will be guided through a series of steps to upload a photo, tell a heartwarming story about their pet and customize a contest webpage where other visitors can vote for their pet. Each vote costs $1, and visitors can vote as often as they like for their favourite animal.

"This is where it gets interesting," says Chortyk. "People can easily multiply their votes by asking friends and family members to vote for their pet, and they're encouraged to promote their pet even further through social media avenues like Facebook and Twitter."

Once a pet goes viral, says Chortyk, there's no limit to the number of votes that could be cast.

The 12 animals with the most votes at noon on May 17 will win a coveted spot in the calendar. An additional 10 animals judged to have the most compelling stories and photos will each win a special BC SPCA goody bag with items from the Shop BC SPCA online store.

To register and for a complete list of rules and prizes, visit spca.bc.ca/calendarcontest.

The Animal Lovers' Calendar is given as a gift to supporters every year, and will also available for sale at branches and online in September.

For more information:

Lorie Chortyk, general manager, community relations, BC SPCA, 604-647-1316.

The BC SPCA is a non-profit organization funded primarily by public donations. Our mission is to prevent cruelty and to promote the welfare of animals through a wide range of services, including cruelty investigations, emergency rescue and treatment, sheltering and adoption of homeless and abused animals, humane education, advocacy, farm animal welfare, spay/neuter programs, and wildlife rescue and rehabilitation.