Pet Owners: Submit Pictures For March Meowness Photo Contest

San Diego CA

01 March, 2022

4:36 PM

Description

SAN DIEGO COUNTY, CA — March is here, which means March Madness is around the corner. San Diego Humane Society's "March Meowness" photo contest is also back. The organization on Monday began accepting entries for its March Meowness tournament, in which pet owners are encouraged to submit photos of their furry, feathered or scaly friends to compete for prizes. This is the third annual photo contest. San Diego Humane Society hosted its first ever March Meowness tournament in 2020 when the NCAA's March Madness basketball tournament was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. "When March Maddness was cancelled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we decided to start a little madness of our own at San Diego Humane Society, giving people a friendly competition to look forward to and smile about," Humane Society spokeswoman Nina Thompson told Patch. "What could be better than entering your favorite pet photo in a free competition?" Thompson said. "People are very proud of their pets and this competition gives them a chance to brag about their best friend and make them famous on social media!" Submissions will be accepted through March 14. The top 16 photos, based on votes received by midnight on March 14, plus 16 wildcard entries selected by Humane Society staff, will advance to the official 32-seed March Meowness bracket. There were 1,102 submissions in 2020 and 1,114 submissions in 2021, Thompson said. "Hopefully, we will see even more entrants this year," she said. Voting is open to the public throughout the tournament and determines which pets advance to the next round. To increase their chances of winning, contestants can encourage friends and family to vote by sharing a link to their pet's entry. Voting is free, with a limit of one vote per person per day. Contestants will move forward in head-to-head matchups in the Sweet 16, Elite Eight, Final Four and championship rounds. The winner will be announced on April 5. Prizes include a $250 Target gift card for first place, a $150 Petco gift card for second place, a $100 Visa gift card for third place, and a $75 Petco gift card for fourth place.