Many pet owners’ camera rolls already prove their pets deserve a spot on a calendar. Woods Humane Society is giving Central Coast animal lovers a chance to make that official while raising money for pets in need through its fourth annual Pets of the Year Calendar Contest.
The fundraiser invites contestants to enter their pets for free and ask friends and family to vote with donations. The top 10 fundraisers will receive a full-month feature in the 2027 calendar, while every participant who raises at least $25 will be included on a collage page. Donations to the campaign go directly toward the society’s work with animals.
For Woods Humane Society CEO, Emily L’Heureux, the contest is about more than choosing the cutest pet photo.
“Our biggest goal is to celebrate our amazing community of pet lovers,” L’Heureux said. “If you’ve ever owned a dog or a cat, you know that they’re your pride and joy, and most pet owners want to show them off.”
Woods is a private humane society and does not receive government funding or tax dollars, according to L’Heureux. Community donations allow the nonprofit to keep caring for animals and connecting them with families.
Those donations help the humane society find homes for more than 3,000 animals each year. They also support about 800 animals in foster care, training and behavior services for 800 dogs and roughly 6,000 spay and neuter surgeries, according to L’Heureux.
For fosterer and adopter Jennifer Brown, the contest is also a chance to show what happens before an animal reaches its forever home.
Brown chose a photo of Pearl, a particularly playful and people-loving kitten she fostered, for a previous contest entry. She said the image captures a side of kitten fostering that people may not usually see: tiny animals with big personalities.
The contest has become a favorite because it gives supporters a personal way to participate. Pet owners share their animals’ photos and stories, and friends and family can leave messages and contribute to their campaigns.
“It’s really fun to see the peer-to-peer aspect,” L’Heureux said. “When someone is so proud of their own animal, they’re posting it to their friends and family, and their friends and family are leaving comments and messages of support.”
One of this year’s contestants is Chuck, a 7-year-old Chiweenie adopted by Morro Bay resident Zoe Zepp and her husband in March 2025. Zepp saw Chuck’s photo on the humane society’s website and visited him that same day. When he put his head on her lap, she said she felt a connection.
“I didn’t want to leave the shelter without him,” Zepp said. “I came back the next morning with my husband, and we adopted him immediately. It was the best decision we ever made.”
His contest photo shows him in a tie-dye bandana, giving what Zepp described as an old-Western stare after his pup cup was taken away.
Zepp entered Chuck after her mother entered her own dog in the fundraiser. She said the contest is a fun way to support an organization she has cared about for years.
“Woods is much more than a place that provides homes for homeless pets,” Zepp said. “It’s an organization that gives animals a second chance at a happy life.”
For Zepp, that is the heart of the fundraiser. The chance to see Chuck in a calendar is sweet, but the larger goal is helping other pets get the same opportunity he did.
“Every pet owner should join,” Zepp said. “It’s less about winning the contest and having your pet in the calendar and way more about supporting Woods and all they provide for the community and the pets of the community.”
The Pets of the Year Calendar Contest closes Sept. 20. Calendars will be available for pickup at Wiggle Waggle Fall Festival on Oct. 24.