“Boom Boom” by Kenichi Morinaga (Japan). Overall Winner and Cat Category Winner.
“Cats are bumped on the wall suddenly. It was like a cartoon bamped boom boom. Such a funny moment.”
Anyone who owns a pet knows how funny animals can be. And the winners of the 2022 Comedy Pet Photography Awards did an incredible job capturing the quirky side of their pets. Over 2,000 images were entered into the contest, with Japanese photographer Kenichi Morinaga taking home the win for his photo of two cats nuzzling each other on a fence.
Morinaga, whose image also won the Cat Category, loves photographing street cats. His passion was sparked by his own pet cat and his adventures backpacking in Europe. Now, he often visits Japan’s small islands, where he’s always on the lookout for new felines to photograph.
“When I returned to Japan, I continued to seek them out, they really cheer me up, especially after the last two years of the pandemic—they are so funny, even when they are doing something serious,” the photographer shares. “This amazing competition reminded me that such gestures from all animals are recognized as being hilarious, cute, and heart-warming not only in Japan but all over the world.”
Morinaga won £2,000 ($2,260) and the title of Comedy Pet Photographer of the Year. But, even more importantly, he earned the opportunity to make a £5,000 ($5,650) donation to any animal charity of his choice. The photographer selected The Cat Welfare Group, a charity that has spent 35 years looking after the well-being and rescue of cats.
Charity is an important component of the competition. Thanks to a partnership with Animal Friends Pet Insurance, Comedy Pets also donated £10,000 ($11,300) each to three separate charities all doing an amazing job of caring for and re-homing abandoned animals: Dean Farm Trust, London Inner City Kitties, and Wild at Heart Foundation.
The other winning images are a delightful selection of funny animal photos that show everything from a dog getting wild in water to a befuddled cat stuck in a hedge. There’s even a “cigar” smoking alpaca and a dog “chauffeur,” so if you are looking for a laugh, keep scrolling.
Here are the winners of the 2022 Comedy Pet Photography Awards.
“Nilo’s Love for water” by Jose Bayon (Spain). Dog Category Winner.
“Nilo is an adopted puppy about 10 months old. He was hit by a car and was barely saved. Now recovered, he has just discovered water for the first time. His capers and pirouettes show his passion for water. Love at first sight.”
“Smokin’ Alpaca” by Stefan Brusius (Germany). All Other Creatures Category Winner.
“He looks like he is smoking a cigar.”
“Happy Horses” by Radim Filipek (Czech Republic). The Mighty Horse Category Winner.
“Happy mother and her 3 day old son Monty.”
“Revenge of the Tennis Ball” by Christopher Johnson (UK). Highly Commended.
“This is Star playing in the snow in a local field and getting surprised by a passing tennis ball.”
Over 2,000 funny animal photos were entered into this year’s contest.
“Chauffeur Dog” by Mehmet Aslan (Turkey). Comedy Pet Team Favorite Award.
“This is what I saw when I stopped at the traffic lights. At first I thought the dog was really driving!”
“OMG what is that” by Beth Noble (UK). Highly Commended.
“CK shows his surprised face.”
“Grandmistress Candy” by Jonathan Casey (UK). Highly Commended.
“My tabby cat Candy is ranked East Anglia #1.”
As part of the competition, nearly $40,000 was donated to UK-based animal charities.
“Mine, not yours!” by Lucy Sellors-Duval (UK). Highly Commended.
“Benji was determined to be the one to get all the yummy treats during his photo shoot even if it meant stopping his older brother Doug.”
“Jack the Cat stuck in the hedge” by Freya Sharpe (UK). Junior Category Winner.
“Freya absolutely loves animals and has such a good bond with Jack. I know that she will be ecstatic about winning the Junior category of the competition. Jack is a real character and gives us lots of laughs!We had gone out for the day and came home to find our kitten Jack had got stuck in the hedge!”
“Dashing through the snow” by Marko Jovanovic (USA). People’s Choice Award.
“Carter was on a euthanasia list in California. We flew from Chicago to California rescue him. This was his first time experiencing snow. As you can see he could believe was missing out all these years!”
“Purr-etty Pleeeaase!” by Sarah Fiona Helme (UK). Highly Commended.
“Rosie was helping me in the greenhouse and decided to try, in her most engaging way, (and with the help of the wheelbarrow to stand on), to persuade me into giving her some of her favorite treats—which, being a lowly cat servant with no willpower, I did!”
“Dave and Dudley” by Judy Nussenblatt (USA). Pets Who Look Like Their Owner’s Category Winner.
“This is my friend, David, and his dog Dudley. During the early days of Covid, David and I took advantage of a beautiful day and we were out shooting pictures. Dudley was so excited when we got back that he threw his front paws around David’s shoulders and I snapped this picture. They both look like they could use a good haircut, but it was Covid….so who cares….”
“Werewolf 2.0” by Karl Goldhamer (Germany). Highly Commended.
“Even a werewolf needs to relax sometimes…”
“Too desperate” by Kazutoshi Ono (Japan). Highly Commended.
“She is my lovely kitty that was rescued from my local cat care facility. This is just a door to a corridor. Sometimes she jumps up and holds a door, so maybe she is too desperate to go out.”
“Now, how do I upload my pics?” by Kenichi Morinaga (Japan). Highly Commended.
“I got a smartphone so I want to upload my pics for my SNS. But I don’t know how to use it. Please someone tell me how to use it.”