Completed Challenges

Animal Idol Debut Challenge - June 1
Sponsored by Fort Hunt and Hayfield Animal Hospitals
Is your pet begging to be famous?  We understand, and that’s why the first 15 registrants to our 2020 photo calendar contest will receive 100 FREE votes added to their profile pages.  Contest registration begins at 8 a.m., so have your profiles ready to win extra votes! Please note that votes will be added manually and may not appear immediately after entry.

Double Down Friday #1 - June 7 at 5 p.m.
Sponsored by Hoffman Town Center
By popular demand, we are moving this year’s weekly Double Down challenges to Friday at 5 p.m.  Kick off your weekend with the opportunity to earn twice as many votes: Every vote after 5 p.m. will be doubled - up to 100 votes per voter - until 1,000 FREE votes are given away!  Please note that double votes are added manually and will not appear immediately after entry.  We will announce on this site and Facebook when all doubled votes have been fulfilled.

Superstar Saturday and Sunday - June 8 at 8 a.m. to June 9 and 8 p.m.

What’s the most important part of being famous?  Your fans! Show us that your pet has the most followers by sharing their profile page with friends and family this weekend; the five pages that receive the most individual comments between 8 a.m. Saturday and 8 p.m. Sunday will receive FREE extra votes:

Votes will be added after comments are tallied and recipients will be announced on Facebook.

Double Down Friday #2 - June 14 at 5 p.m.
Sponsored by Hoffman Town Center
Our second Double Down Friday challenge kicks off June 14 at 5 p.m.  This week every vote made after 5 p.m. will be doubled - up to 150 votes per voter - until 1,500 FREE votes are given away!  Please note that double votes are added manually and will not appear immediately after entry.  We will announce on this site and Facebook when all doubled votes have been fulfilled.

Tag Us Challenge - June 15 at 8 a.m. to June 16 at 8 p.m.

An idol needs to have a solid social media presence, and we want to see it!  Post why your pet wants to be Alexandria’s Animal Idol from your preferred social media account - Facebook, Instagram or Twitter - and tag us (@alexandriaanimals on Facebook, @alexanimals on Instagram or Twitter).  The pets who have received the most Likes by 8 p.m. on June 16 will receive additional votes.

Please note that posts must go live AFTER 8 a.m. on June 15 to be counted toward this challenge.  You must tag the AWLA using the info above so we can track Likes, and please mention the name of your pet so we can apply votes.  Instagram posts must tag @alexanimals in the photo/video and in the caption to be counted.   If your pet shares across multiple platforms, we will use the one with the highest like tally, NOT all the likes across the platforms.

Double Down Friday #3 - June 21 at 5 p.m.

Sponsored by Hoffman Town Center
Our third Double Down Friday challenge starts June 21 at 5 p.m.  This week every vote after 5 p.m. will be doubled - up to 250 votes per voter - until 2,500 FREE votes are given away!  Please note that double votes are added manually and will not appear immediately after entry.  We will announce on this site and Facebook when all doubled votes have been fulfilled.

People’s Choice Challenge - June 22 at 8 a.m to June 23 at 8 p.m.

It’s the people that make the superstar, and this weekend, we want to hear from those people.  We will be awarding additional votes to the 5 pets who receive the most votes from their fans on their calendar profile pages this weekend, beginning June 22 at 8 a.m. and running through June 23 at 8 p.m.  Flaunt your superstar’s fan-dom and let your loved ones know to vote for your pet this weekend to earn FREE votes.

• 750 votes for the pet with the most new votes
• 500 votes for the pet with the second-most new votes
• 300 votes for the pet with the third-most new votes
• 200 votes for the pet with the fourth-most new votes
• 100 votes for the pet with the fifth-most new votes

In Paw-son Voting at Riverside Taco Company - June 25 from 6 to 8 p.m.

Stars needs to be seen at all the hottest new locations, whether in paw-son or by proxy. On June 25, your pet can decorate a voting box with their name and image which will be seen at the AWLA booth at Riverside Taco Company.  From 6 to 8 p.m. only, votes can be purchased at Riverside Taco Company TWO FOR $1 so you can double your votes.  Well-mannered, leashed dogs are also welcome to come by to share their star quality, and all diners who mention the AWLA will have 15% of their bill donated to the AWLA.

Please note that you (or your pet) do NOT need to be present to include a voting box.  Voting boxes should be no bigger than a shoebox.  Decorated boxes can be dropped off at the AWLA on June 23 or 24 during business hours or at the AWLA booth of Riverside Taco Company beginning 5:30 on June 25.  Votes will be tallied and attributed on June 26.

Riverside Taco Company is a unique, outdoor dining experience by ARP (Alexandria Restaurant Partners). Influenced by the varied cultures, cuisine influences and cooking experiences of ARP's Executive Chefs, Riverside Taco Company provides a unique, yet approachable menu, offering tasty tacos, sides, bowls, margaritas, and beer out of a sleek airstream trailer.  

Stitch's Challenge - June 26

AWLA Alum Stitch was a mainstay of the AWLA photo calendar, earning one of the top placements over the past several years, and it was with great sadness that the 2019 calendar published just days after Stitch passed.  In his honor, his parents are sponsoring "Stitch's Challenge" and will select calendar entrants who most embody the spirit of their cherished cat - friendly, loving and not impaired by adversity - to award extra votes, which will be added to those pets' tallies and shared on Facebook on June 26.

Double Down Friday #4 - June 28 at 5 p.m.

Sponsored by Hoffman Town Center
Our FINAL Double Down Friday challenge will give your pet one last chance at getting closer to superstar fame!  This week every vote after 5 p.m. will be doubled - up to 500 VOTES PER VOTER! - until 5,000 FREE votes are given away!  Please note that double votes are added manually and will not appear immediately after entry.  We will announce on this site and Facebook when all doubled votes have been fulfilled.

Show Your Superstar Talent Challenge - June 29 at 8 a.m to June 30 at NOON

We’re searching for Alexandria’s Animal Idol, and we want to see your talents!  Send us a photo or video of your pet showing off their special skills, whether it’s your dog singing along with the radio or your cat’s marathon napping abilities - all talents are welcome! (Photos and videos can be edited or manipulated; we want to see your most entertaining submissions).  We will post these videos and photos on a blog that goes live June 29 at 8 a.m., and the Top 5 pets who get the most unique comments will receive FREE votes:

• 1,000 votes for the most individual comments
• 750 votes for the second-most individual comments
• 500 votes for the third-most individual comments
• 300 votes each for the fourth-most individual comments
• 100 votes each for the fourth-most individual comments

Comments will be tallied and votes will be awarded after noon on Sunday, June 30, at give all participants the chance to get their last votes in before the entire calendar contest ends at 8 p.m. that day.

Please note all media must be sent to connect@alexandriaanimals.org by noon on Friday, June 28, to be included in the challenge.  The blog link will be posted on this website and on social media at 8 a.m.  Tallies will include unique comments, so if a person comments more than once for a specific animal, it will only be counted once.  This calendar challenge will end at noon on Sunday rather than 8 p.m., as previous weekend challenges have.