Contest Rules

• "Contest Period" - 12:01(noon) PDT March 17 - 12:01(noon) PDT April 23, 2014
• "The Contest" - Petco Foundation Life is Better Together Photo Contest, which includes both a photo contest component and a fundraising component run as two separate contests within one. Both require upload of a photo for the contest.
• "Photo Contest" - component of The Contest which is judged by an independent panel of judges to arrive at 12 photos for the 2015 Petco Foundation Calendar.
• "Charitable Partner" - any of over 8,000 partners that Petco Foundation has provided assistance to in the form of grants, monetary disbursements from fundraisers, product or education. The current active Charitable Partner list can be found here.
• "Fundraising Contest" - component of The Contest which entails a votes-based fundraising competition to raise money for Petco Foundation Charitable Partners.
• "Individual Fundraiser" - single entrant who uploads a photo, makes a donation and solicits others for donations.
• "Fundraising Team" - all Individual Fundraisers who have selected the same Petco Foundation Charitable Partner to fundraise for.

• Photographs must contain only pets (owned or adoptable animals) and no full human faces. Partial faces, hands or arms are ok, as long as they support the theme (Life is Better Together).  We will require model releases if a photo with a recognizable human is chosen.
• Photographs may not be edited or altered (other than minor color, contrast, or sharpness adjustments.)
• There is no limit on the number of photographs that can be entered.
• Photographs taken by a minor must be submitted by a legal guardian.
• This is an amateur photo contest. Professional or watermarked photography will not be accepted.
• Acceptable photo formats are limited to .jpg, .bmp, and .tif
• Any photograph that includes content that is deemed inappropriate, indecent, or obscene, as determined by the staff of the Petco Foundation in their sole discretion, will be removed from the Contest with no opportunity for a refund.
• Photographs must be uploaded via this contest site.
• The original photo should be no smaller than 3648 pixels X 2736 pixels @ 72 dpi. If the photo is too small, it will be disqualified for use in the calendar portion of the contest due to printing constraints. It will still be eligible for the fundraising portion of the contest.
• Do not crop if it will reduce the size of the photo below that stated above.

The "Life is Better Together" Photo Contest (the "Contest") is open to all legal U.S. residents who are at least eighteen (18) years of age. The Contest is subject to all applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations. Void where prohibited or restricted by law or regulations. This contest is also open to Petco and Petco Foundation associates.

Online entries must be received between 12:01 p.m., Pacific Standard Time ("PDT") on March 17, 2014 and 12:01 p.m. PDT on April 23, 2014 (the "Contest Period"). All entries and requests become the property of the Petco Foundation and will not be acknowledged or returned. By submitting a photo, entrant agrees that Petco Foundation may use any submitted photos in donation solicitations or on our site or social media without acknowledgement or recompense. Know that these uses help raise more money for homeless pets, so your submission could continue to help homeless pets even if it does not win a spot in the calendar.

You agree that Petco Foundation may at any time, including prior to the Contest close, request a larger resolution version of the submitted entry. This request is not to be construed as indication of a winning entry. If not uploaded during contest entry, the 12 winners must be able to provide full resolution versions of the image in order to claim the prizes. Winners will be announced once we have received all full resolution images.

You will be asked for the following information:

• A fundraising goal
• The name of the rescue/shelter partner for whom you'd like fundraising dollars (votes) to apply. Leaving this blank will allow us to allocate to the partner with the greatest need
• Your pet's name
• Your pet’s species
• Your name
• If your pet was adopted, rescued, purchased, a gift or still adoptable
• From what organization or individual your pet was adopted/rescued/purchased
• How this photo addresses the theme "Life is Better Together"
• What shelter or rescue to support if not already on the drop down list

The suggested donation for entry is $5. This is a fundraiser to benefit homeless pets. A donation is not required, but is strongly encouraged. Donations are tax deductible by law. Please save your receipts for your tax records. The Petco Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

The Photo Contest and the Fundraising Contest are separate contests run simultaneously. Each photo uploaded enters both the Fundraising and the Photo Contest. It is not necessary to submit two copies of the same photo to enter both contests.

Photo Contest

• Voting is not required in order to win the Photo Contest.
• Twelve photographs will be hand-chosen by a panel of judges to win the Photo Contest. See PRIZES below for details.
• An additional 6 photos may be chosen for auxiliary, smaller positions in the calendar and will be eligible for smaller prize packages.
• It is possible that the photo that wins Fundraising Contest will also win the Photo Contest. Both winners are chosen separately. In this instance, the winner will be eligible to claim both prizes.

Fundraising Contest

• Voting is required to participate and win the Fundraising Contest.
• Voting requires a $1 donation per vote. Entrants can and should solicit votes using the tools provided.
• The three (3) photographs with the most votes (donations) at the end of the contest period will win the Fundraising Contest. See PRIZES below for prize details.
• The voting period will begin at 12:01 p.m. PDT on March 17, 2014 and end at 12:01 p.m. PDT on April 23, 2014.
• Entrants may vote for their own entries.
• Rescues and shelters may enter and vote for their own entries.
• To vote, voter must go to the photo contest site and purchase a minimum of five (5) votes for a $5 donation. Those votes can then be cast for any photo entered in the contest in one vote increments.
• Voters do not have to use all of the votes at the time of donation, nor on a single entry. When voters donate, they will be given the option of applying all of the votes to one (1) entry or setting up an account and storing votes in their account. If voter chooses to store the votes, voter can log in to their account using their ID and password and vote at a later time.
• Votes left unused at the termination of the contest will be considered donations and will not be applied towards any single entry.
• Voting will not affect the decision for the photos included in the upcoming calendar. The Photo Contest is run separately from the Fundraising Contest .The calendar winners are determined by an independently judged vote as outlined below.
• It is possible that the photo that wins Fundraising Contest will also win the Photo Contest. Both winners are chosen separately. In this instance, the winner will be eligible to claim both prizes.

Photo Contest

The twelve calendar winners will be chosen from all adopted/rescued/adoptable entries. A panel of judges designated by the Petco Foundation will judge all entries on the following factors:

• the quality of the image
• how well the image and the description fit the theme

An additional 6 photos of adopted pets may be chosen, using the same criteria, by our independent panel of judges to be included as smaller images on varied pages within the 2015 Petco Foundation calendar.  

Judging will begin immediately following the close of the contest.  You may be notified with a request to provide a higher resolution photo.  You agree that Petco Foundation may at any time, including prior to the Contest close, request a larger resolution version of the submitted entry. This request is not to be construed as indication of a winning entry. If not uploaded during contest entry, the 12 winners must be able to provide full resolution versions of the image in order to claim the prizes.

Please ensure that addresses from Petco.com are not blocked in your junk mail/spam filters.

Winning Photos will be posted at PetcoFoundation.org following winner’s notification and print-eligible pictures receipt. Additionally, any submitted photos may also be featured in various promotional materials including online. The selection process will be conducted under the supervision of the Petco Foundation, whose decisions are final and binding.

The twelve main entries chosen will then be become equal grand prize winners.  See PRIZES below for more information.

The six potential additional winning entries will become equal smaller prize winners. See PRIZES below for more information.

Any prize notification returned as undeliverable through no fault of Petco will result in disqualification of the potential winner and an alternate new entry will be selected. Potential winners will be notified by email to the address provided by entrants, who are solely responsible for its accuracy. Potential winners will be required to verify address and must execute and return an affidavit of eligibility and liability/publicity release within 14 days of notification attempt or the prize will be forfeited and an alternate potential winner selected.

Fundraising Contest

Fundraising winners will be determined by public voting. The three (3) Individual Fundraisers who receive the most votes when public voting ends on April 23, 2014 at 12:01 p.m. will be the Fundraising winners.

In the event of a tie, Petco Foundation will, at their discretion break the tie through an analysis of the times votes came in to determine the three winners. The selection process will be conducted under the supervision of the Petco Foundation, whose decisions are final and binding.

Winners of the Fundraising Contest will be notified by e-mail on or about May 1, 2014, and will be given instructions on how to claim prize. Odds of winning depend on the number of votes each entrant receives.

Photo Prizes:

Twelve (12) grand prizes will be awarded to the twelve photo contest finalists chosen by our independent panel of judges. The 12 main photo contest winners will receive:

• Recognition on PetcoFoundation.org
• One (1) designated month for their pet in the 2015 calendar (100,000 copies sold nationwide)
• One (1) $100 Petco gift card
• One each of all fundraising premiums
• Five (5) 2015 calendars

An additional 6 photos of adopted pets may be chosen by our independent panel of judges to be included as smaller images on varied pages within the 2015 Petco Foundation calendar.  These six winners will receive the following:

• Recognition on PetcoFoundation.org
• One each of the three Foundation Plush dogs (Finley, Sheba and Thatcher)
• One (1) 2015 calendar

Prizes are non-transferable and are not redeemable for cash. Calendars will be available for sale in all Petco stores nationwide beginning November 2014, subject to change due to printing edits and/or delays.

It is possible that the photo that wins the Fundraising Contest will also win a spot in the calendar. Both contests are run separately. In this instance, the winner will be eligible to claim both prizes.

Fundraising Prizes:

The three (3) Individual Fundraisers who obtain the most votes in fundraising portion of the contest will be the Fundraising Winners and will receive the following:

• A grant of an additional $2,500 to the approved rescue or shelter they fundraised for.
• Recognition on PetcoFoundation.org
• One each of all fundraising premiums
• One (1) $100 Petco gift card
• One (1) 2015 calendar

Fundraising Team Grants

During the entry process, each participant chooses a shelter/rescue partner to support. They are automatically teamed up with all others who have chosen the same partner to form a Fundraising Team.

A Fundraising Team must raise a minimum of $1,500 in votes by the close of the Contest Period, to have their chosen partner receive the amount raised.

Distribution of grant moneys will be within 6 weeks following the close of The Contest.

Fundraising Team Free Drawing

• Fundraising Teams that raise $500 or more during the Contest Period will be entered into a Free Drawing to win a single grant of $1,500 for their chosen partner.
• The free drawing will occur on Friday, May 2 at the Petco Foundation San Diego Offices (9125 Rehco Road, San Diego, CA 92121). The selection process will be conducted under the supervision of the Petco Foundation, whose decisions are final and binding.
• The winner need not be present to win.
• A free entry into this drawing can be obtained in person at 9125 Rehco Road, San Diego, CA 92121 from Kim Smith at the Petco Foundation.

PLEASE NOTE: All Petco Foundation Charitable Partners are not listed in the initial drop down for the contest. Existing Charitable Partners can be added during the entry process. See the Petco Foundation site for a comprehensive list of current Petco Foundation Charitable Partners.

To add an unlisted Charitable Partner during photo entry, Individual Fundraisers must choose "My Shelter is not in the Drop Down", the last choice in the drop down list on the entry page. They will type the shelter/rescue's name in the text box at the end of the entry form.

Shelter/rescues must be on our current active partner list to participate. If a shelter/rescue has changed names, they must use the name listed on the partner list for purposes of this contest.

New Charitable Partners cannot be added to our active partner list during this contest.

Charitable Partners may enter a photo on their own behalf and participate in the Fundraising Contest on their own behalf.

The Charitable Partner will receive a grant equal to the amount raised only if their Fundraising Team raises $1,500 or more.

All Charitable Partners who receive $500 or more in votes during the Contest Period, will be entered into a free drawing to receive a single $1,500 grant.

The top three Individual Fundraisers will win an additional $2,500 granted to their chosen partner.

When you enter the "Life is Better Together" Photo Contest, you warrant that you are at least eighteen (18) years old as of the date of entry, the photograph is original, that you are the sole owner and copyright holder of that photograph, and that you have not granted exclusive rights of that photograph to any other person or entity. You also warrant that the photograph does not invade the right of privacy of any individual; does not infringe any trademark, trade name, trade secret, intellectual property right, or other common law or statutory right; nor does it contain any material that otherwise violates any criminal prohibition or the personal or proprietary rights of any person or entity.

With regard to any image or content submitted, you agree to grant the Petco Foundation, its legal representatives, successors, and assigns, the nonexclusive right and permission to use, modify, adapt, reproduce, publish, and distribute the photograph, or any portion thereof, throughout the world, in any printed form and by any kind of mechanical or electronic or any other method or device of reproduction, publication, and distribution known or later developed, during the full term of the copyright, and without notification or payment. The Petco Foundation agrees that it will never sell the photograph or rights in the photograph to any individual or entity.

You agree that Petco Foundation may at any time, including prior to the Contest close, request the full resolution version of the submitted entry. This request is not to be construed as indication of a winning entry.

Petco Foundation shall not be responsible for printing, typographical, human or other errors of any kind in any Contest-related materials or for stolen, lost, late, misdirected, damaged, incomplete, or illegible entries. If, for any reason, the Contests are not capable of running as planned, or infection by computer viruses, bugs, or tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud, actions of entrants, technical failures, or any other causes corrupt or infect the administration, security, fairness, integrity, or proper conduct of the Contests, the Petco Foundation reserves the right at its sole discretion to disqualify any entry or entrant and/or to cancel, terminate, modify, or suspend the Contests and at its sole discretion award a prize from among all eligible non-suspect entries validly received prior to the action requiring such modification. By entering, all Contestants agree that the Contests are governed by laws of the State of California for the resolution of all claims and disputes (excluding any claims against or disputes involving parties other than the Petco Foundation relating to any prize awarded in the Contests).

Personally identifiable information provided by entrants and voters will be added to the Petco Foundation's email list. Entrants and voters will be able to "opt out" of future such communications by following the instructions on any electronic communication we send. Sponsor does not sell, rent, trade or share its email addresses with any third parties for such party's own marketing purposes.

LEGAL WARNING: ANY ATTEMPT BY AN INDIVIDUAL, WHETHER OR NOT AN ENTRANT, TO DELIBERATELY DAMAGE, DESTROY, TAMPER OR VANDALIZE THIS WEB SITE OR INTERFERE WITH THE OPERATION OF THE CONTEST, IS A VIOLATION OF CRIMINAL AND CIVIL LAWS AND SPONSOR RESERVES THE RIGHT TO SEEK DAMAGES AND DILIGENTLY PURSUE ALL REMEDIES AGAINST ANY SUCH INDIVIDUAL TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW.

Petco Foundation 9125 Rehco Road San Diego, CA 92121
Petco 9125 Rehco Road San Diego, CA 92121

If you have any other questions about the "Life is Better Together" Photo Contest, please contact Kim Smith by email at Kimberly.Smith@Petco.com. Thank you for participating and supporting the Petco Foundation!