Unfortunately, the numbers surrounding animal abandonment increase every year. 113,217 dogs and cats were taken in by animal shelters and municipal centers in 2018, according to data published by the Affinity Foundation in its annual report 'He would never do it.'
However, the number of animals that reach a shelter is only a fraction of those that are abandoned. Many abandoned animals end up dying of hunger, being run over, or succumbing to disease. Others become feral or are taken in directly by families who care for them.
The Associations for Animal Protection and Defense (FAPAM) estimate that the actual number of abandonments per year exceeds 300,000. This alarming figure would mean an average of three animals abandoned every five minutes in Spain.
For this reason, the association MARS Petcare seeks to raise awareness while also raising funds to combat the scourge of animal abandonment in the United Kingdom.
To achieve this, they have created the MARS Petcare Comedy Pet Photo Awards 2020. This edition involves collecting the funniest pet photos, making them the stars once again this year.
In this photography contest, comedy is essential, as is the quality of the image.
Photographers Paul Joynson-Hicks and Tom Sullam, founders of the famous 'Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards,' reflect how our companion animals are part of our lives and give us wonderful moments.
“This year’s entries have been just what we needed to lift our spirits in 2020. It has been a difficult year for many. These images have made us laugh out loud, but they also reaffirm our desire to drastically reduce animal cruelty. The positive movement created by this competition is so inspiring that we can only hope to achieve a similar reaction from those who see our images,” says Tom Sullam.
Despite the exceptional situation, we are living in a time when most of us have been able to spend more time than ever with the animals we share our lives with, which has resulted in an overwhelming number of entries for this year's competition with over 2000 photographs of pets from photographers from 81 different countries, making it very difficult for the jury to choose 44 finalists. Of these, only one will receive recognition and prizes: $3,000, a voucher to exchange for whatever they need for their pet, and a trophy made by Wonder Workshop, which helps people with disabilities in Tanzania.
They also collaborate with the British organization Blue Cross, which does incredible work helping sick animals. 10% of the registration fees from participants in this edition will be donated to this organization.
Even the way of helping is capable of reinventing itself due to the current situation, bringing us laughter and magical moments through an image. We will know the winner on November 24th; in the meantime, we can enjoy the wonderful photos of the finalists.
