FAQ

Question: How are Votes Counted?
Answer: Donations made in support of an animal are valued at one vote for every $1.00 donated.

Question: Do I get a calendar when I vote?
Answer: Those who donate $25 or more will receive a calendar in October.

Question: How do I get a top spot?
Answer: Fundraise! The BC SPCA Calendar Contest is a fundraising activity to support homeless, neglected, and abused animals in B.C.

Question: Do I have to live in B.C. to enter the contest?
Answer: You must be a resident of B.C. to enter. But voters can live anywhere.

Question: My pet has passed away, may I still enter him/ her?
Answer: Yes, you can; however, due to potential issues with photo quality, we recommend that you only enter if you can absolutely guarantee that your photos meet the image requirements. If they do not, the runner-up will be given your spot.

Question: Who gets one of the calendar pages?
Answer: The thirteen (13) animals (one cover and 12 months – 6 dogs and 6 cats + other) with the most votes on April 30th, 2018 at 11:59 pm PST will win the chance to be featured in the 2019 BC SPCA "Animals Helping Animals" Calendar.

Question: If I win a Top 13 spot in the calendar, what happens next?
Answer: If you win one of the Top 13 spots, you will be contacted directly by Rachel Zant regarding photos and photo quality. A selection of 3-4 print quality photos of each winning animal must be provided by Sunday May 13, 2019 at 11:59 pm PST to be included in the production of the calendar.


Question: Who gets on a Playing Card? Answer: The top 26 from each category (52 total) will have their pet featured on a deck of Playing Cards.

Question: If I win a Playing Card spot, what happens next? Answer: If you win a Playing Card spot, you will be contacted by Rachel Zant to advise you of your success.

Important note for non-Top 13 winners - If the photo you submitted to the contest page will not work, you will be contacted directly to advise you that additional photos are needed. Please note that these photos only need to have a minimum image size of 1mb.

Question: What happens if I cannot get high quality photos?
Answer: If appropriate print quality photos are not provided by the deadline the BC SPCA will offer the spot in the calendar to the next runner up.

Question: Will the BC SPCA share my photos with other organizations?
Answer: Absolutely not. However, by submitting a photo, you acknowledge and give permission to the BC SPCA to use the name, story and photo of the animal entered in future various BC SPCA publications, promotions and other materials, including the 2019 BC SPCA "Animals Helping Animals" Calendar.

Question: Can I be disqualified?
Answer: The BC SPCA reserves the right to disqualify an entry based on objectionable content or depiction of the animal or persons in a photo. Donations collected will be refunded if requested by the donor.

Question: What will the BC SPCA do with my pet's entry once it has been uploaded?
Answer: By agreeing to the waiver, you will also acknowledge and give permission to the BC SPCA to use the name, story and photo of the animal entered in future various publications and materials, including the 2018 "Animals Helping Animals" Calendar.

Question: I didn't win a place in the Top 13, how does my pet become featured on the BC SPCA "Animals Helping Animals" Animal Sidekick page?
Answer: The next 15 dogs and next 15 cats + other after the Top 13 will have their pet featured in the Animal Sidekick page of the Calendar.

Question: When will I get my tax receipt?
Answer: Tax receipts will be emailed to voters by the end of May. We will, however, endeavor to issue them as soon as possible once the Contest closes.

Question: What are the image requirements?
Answer:

1. For Top 13 winners - Photos must be high quality, taken at maximum resolution, 300 DPI, minimum file size of 4mb (megabytes) in size and in a generally accepted file format. Please note: most phone photos will not meet these standards.
   
   Playing Card winners – Photos should be clear, non-blurry, close-up of the animal. 300 DPI is preferred. Minimum file size of 1mb (megabytes) is required.
   
   
2. Photos submitted for the calendar must include at least one animal, who should be present in no less than 2/3 of the frame. Landscape format is preferred.
   
   
3. Please ensure that the photo is sharp and in focus with a clean background.
   
   
4. Pets who are shown outside:
   
   
   • Dogs in photographs taken outdoors must be shown wearing a collar and ID tag.
   • Cats in photographs taken outdoors must be shown in a safe environment (preferably in an enclosure/ catio or with a harness on) wearing an ID tag.
   • Domestic birds, however, must only be shown indoors.
     
     
5. Photos submitted for the Top 13 and Playing Card features must follow the Five Freedoms (spca.bc.ca/fivefreedoms). The BC SPCA is opposed to practices that prevent animals from expressing natural animal behaviours. Photos should not feature animals performing unnatural activities, including wearing clothing, accessories (I.e. bows), or costumes.
   
   
6. If the photo contains an individual, you must be able to confirm and provide written authorization from that person for the BC SPCA to use the photo. However, it is preferred that the photo not feature people.