Funniest, Cutest Animals: 25 Winners Of International Pet Photography Awards

The winning photos of the the International Pet Photography Awards, IPPA, are a heartwarming, playful and ever-artistic look at the animals that live among us, providing joy as pets.

Now in its sixth edition, IPPA — the largest Pet Photography competition in the world — drew thousands of entries from 41 countries and included a special equine category for the first time, recognizing photographers who specialize in that sub-genre of Pet Photography.

The other categories include Action, Creative, Documentary, Pets and People, and Portrait.

Not surprisingly, among a wide variety of other pets like hedgehogs, rabbits and a rat, the majority of contestants were images of dogs, followed by — wait for it — those of cats.

The overall winner receives $500 and a trophy and each category winner receives a prize of $250 plus mentoring with Unleashed Education and the Professional Photography Business Network.

The overall 2024 Pet Photographer of the Year was awarded to Janneke De Graaf for her portfolio of images depicting her Basenjis dog. “My partner and I have four at home, three of which are bred by ourselves” De Graaf says.

“Basenjis have a beautiful, quite serious expression and very elegant lines, which makes them stand out in images,” says Janneke. “Their obedience, or lack thereof, can make them challenging to pose, though, and a handler is almost always needed.”

Pet Photography Overall Finalists

Karen Bruhin founder her dog perfectly color matched for the columns.

This is Renate Zudema’s own pony and the image was taken at sunset, in a field covered in blooming purple heather.

Pet Photography Creative Awards

Katie Brockman won the creative category with this fun image of her former foster kittens.

“They are brother and sister, and I wanted an image that showed both of their personalities,” she says. “Ed was a spicy and cranky boy, while Cleo was super mischievous and loved harassing her siblings.”

Yzma, the cat, posing for for her first-year, life stages series.

Sabrina Einig won the inaugural equine category for her dynamic shot of Friso, a 7-year-old Friesian stallion.

Pet Portraits

The photo of Anna Failner’s golden retriever, Tala, was taken in a forest in Veldensteiner Forst, Germany, on a foggy morning in August as the sun was slowly rising.

This portrait of Boops A Daisy, an African Pygmy Hedgehog, was taken at Rachek Hendrie’s studio in Glasgow, Scotland, for a couple whose passion is rescuing hedgehogs.

The image, entitled “Curious Flower,” aims to show the beauty and intriguing nature of one of the world’s most misunderstood pets.

The subject, a rescue rat named Buttons, showcases his inquisitive nature peering from a flower pot.

Heidi Adler was taking a photo of the dog when the cat jumped up on the stump and photobombed, then nestled in with his bestie. “These two have the sweetest relationship and I hope it is reflected in the image,’ she says.

Pets In Action

The image was taken at a sand excavation site in Norway. The model is a whippet, a sighthound breed known for its elegant and graceful movements.

“Snow days are something my dogs absolutely love,” Shandess Griffin explains. “This moment is just a quick glimpse of my dog enjoying snow zoomies.”

“Cats are never easy to photograph,” says Jaydene Chapman. “I let Lady do her own thing and she spontaneously jumped into action.”

Pets And People

Amelia, a teacher, and her Assistance Dog, Mr Darcy, at New Farm, Brisbane.

Mr. Darcy works in the classroom with Amelia. While the kids love him — he has his own ID pass and gets more Christmas gifts than any other member of staff — the dog is there to support her in her role as a teacher.

Documentary Category

An early morning task for this New Zealand Huntaway dog: herd weaned lambs into the yards. The dogs work the lambs by barking to move them up. There was plenty of action in this shot as the horses came over for a look and the sun was just breaking through the clouds.

"Good Stella” works at a sheep-and-cattle farm, ‘Wolverton’, in Maindample Victoria, Australia. As a livestock truck entered the property, Stella raced to the driveway and waited patiently for her work to begin.