The funniest pet photo of 2024 has been crowned, and it’s a classic.
The Comedy Pet Photo Awards committee have meticulously combed through dozens of finalists to find the perfect encapsulation of a funny pet photo, with everything from headless horses to flying cats.
The top prize went to a photo of Hector, who bit off more than he could chew as he went through the cat door.
READ MORE: Camilla’s awkward moment with France’s first lady
“Hector saw the cat do it so thought he would give it a try… and this is about as far as he got before reversing out the way he came. But the cat made it look so easy…” shared his owner, Sarah Haskell.
The shot, titled “Not Just For Cats”, was taken in Wheathampstead, Herts in England.
Upon her and Hector’s win, Haskell commented that she’s “delighted that Hector and I have been part of it, and am tremendously proud to be a winner.”
READ MORE: Surprising number of Aussies admit to gross bedding habit
“Hector is a much-loved member of my extended family, and has been my (unwitting, unknowing) Muse for a few years now… He will be 14 (human) years in July, so all his visitors make a great fuss over him – Hector has no idea why, quite clearly, but just loves the attention,” Haskell shared.
As winner of the top prize, Haskell won a cash prize of £500 (approx. $960), a camera bag from ThinkTank and a bespoke trophy. When asked how she would use the prize money, Haskell joked, “A bigger catflap and then some camera equipment!”
The judges determined the winner based on “technical excellence” and the “amusing content and caption”, choosing between a total of 30 finalists.
READ MORE: Billionaire duke’s wedding could finally change outdated British rule
Hector was far from the only winner from the competition, with some other cheeky pets also gaining recognition.
Taking out the People’s Choice Award was ”Tarzan”, aka owner Kazutoshi Ono’s rescue cat who was snapped at the perfect timing, hanging by a rope from the wall. “It’s like being in the jungle,” said Ono.
The Cat Category winner came in the form of an orange kitten at the tail end of a hairy situation. Kenichi Morinaga, the photographer, said “It looks like video game Super Mario world.”
READ MORE: Die Hard 2 star Tom Bower dies aged 86
There was even a Horse Category winner, going to a steed that found himself airborne because her “saw a mouse”. In addition, a gentle Mediterranean spur thighed tortoise captured munching on a rose took the win for the All Other Creatures Category.
Other special mentions go to Darya Zelentsova for her picture of David and his little pup for winning the Pets Who Look Most Like Their Owners Category, while Charlotte Kitchen, who was 16 years old when she entered the competition with a hilarious picture of a donkey, won the Junior Category Winner.
Now in its fifth year, the competition was founded by wildlife photographers and friends Paul Joynson-Hicks, MBE and Tom Sullam, who previously founded the Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards together.
For a daily dose of 9honey, subscribe to our newsletter here.
Headless horse, flying dogs, and lookalike pets
With the pet competition, they aimed to celebrate “all those wonderful furry, feathery, scaly and hoofed pals keeping us fit, sane and in good company.
Michelle Wood, who helps run the awards, said in a statement, “In a world that can be hard to fathom, our pets are the one constant in our lives that make sense and are a vital source of support, joy and sometimes, great hilarity.
“We would have a competition to celebrate them every single day if we could, and to be able to share these brilliant winners with you and laugh out loud with these loveable creatures is the reason this competition exists!”
FOLLOW US ON WHATSAPP HERE: Stay across all the latest in celebrity, lifestyle and opinion via our WhatsApp channel. No comments, no algorithm and nobody can see your private details.