All Entrants
Everyone is a winner when you participate in the AWLA's 2025 photo calendar contest. All entrants:
- Will have their photo in the calendar!
- Will receive a free, mailed calendar!
- Will get the wonderful feeling of helping to make Alexandria an even better home for animals!
Grand Prize*
The Grand Prize will be awarded based on total votes received. The animal entry that receives the most votes at the close of competition on June 30, 2024, at 8 p.m. will be recognized as Alexandria's 2025 Animal of the Year, and will
Grace the front and back covers of the popular AWLA annual photo calendar, and receive 10 complimentary copies.
Receive a professional pet photography session for the cover photo with one of our talented pet photographers (read more below) at a to-be-determined location. Cover photos will be selected by the AWLA from the results of this photo session; submitted contest photo will appear on the back cover of the calendar alongside a professional photo of the owner(s) (if desired).
Receive one 8 x 10 and two 5 x 7 complimentary prints (with an option to purchase more photos or products offered by the photographer).
Have their calendar cover receive a spot-of-honor in the Vola Lawson Animal Shelter for the upcoming year.
Receive year-round invitations to AWLA events as Alexandria's 2025 Animal of the Year.
- Be featured on the AWLA's website homepage throughout 2025.
- And by popular demand, this year's grand prize winner will once again have their photo featured on buses across Northern Virginia in late 2024!
- *New this year!* Be featured as Alexandria's Animal of the Year in the AWLA's monthly Zebra full-page advertisement for one month.
*Winner must be within 20 miles of the AWLA and available for a July/August 2024 photo shoot in order to be eligible for prizes. If not available, prize moves to next eligible candidate.
Top Vote Recipients*
The next THREE top vote recipients will receive
- A 20-minute photography mini-session with a participating AWLA pet photographer (read more below). Calendar photos will be selected by the AWLA from the results of these photo sessions. The photo submitted as part of the animal's entry will not be included.
A full-page professional photo in the 2025 photo calendar.
One complimentary 5x7 print, with an option to purchase more photos or products offered by the photographer.
Five copies of the calendar
- *New this year!* Be featured in the AWLA's monthly Zebra full-page advertisement for one month.
*Recipients must be within 20 miles of the AWLA and available for a July/August 2024 photo shoot in order to be eligible for prizes. If not available, prize moves to next eligible candidate.
The 5th, 6th, and 7th place entries will receive a custom pet portrait from the talented Alexandra Schmeling.
Entries receiving the 5th- through 13th-highest vote tallies will receive a quarter-page photo placement on one calendar page.
Entrants with More Than 250+ and 500+ Votes
Entrants who raise more than $250 (equivalent to 250 votes) will receive:
- An invitation to the calendar Yappy Hour & Launch Paw-ty on Thursday, October 3.
Entrants who raise more than $500 (equivalent to 500 votes) will receive:
- An invitation to the calendar Yappy Hour & Launch Paw-ty on Thursday, October 3.
- PLUS, a curated swag bag with AWLA merch and other goodies (must be picked up at the Yappy Hour or after at the AWLA).
All Entrants
Everyone is a winner when you participate in the AWLA's 2025 photo calendar contest. All entrants
Will have their photo in the calendar!
Will receive a free, mailed calendar!
Will get the wonderful feeling of helping to make Alexandria an even better home for animals!
AWLA's Volunteer Team of Professional Photographers
Thank you to our incredible team of professional photographers who volunteer their time and expertise to photograph AWLA's animals for adoption and donate their services each year to this important AWLA fundraiser: