Official Rules for Virginia Living’s Cutest Pet 2026 Photo Contest

From here onwards, Cape Fear Publishing and Virginia Living magazine are referred to as “Owner.”

1. Eligibility

Pet owners must be Virginia residents at the time of submission.
Entries must include the pet’s name, breed (if applicable), and city or town.

2. Entry Guidelines

Submission Requirements

Each submission must include:

The pet’s photo
Pet’s name
Selected category (“Top Dog,” “Coolest Cat,” “Farm Friend,” or “Adorable Other”)

Photos must be original, unpublished, and appropriate for public viewing.

Contestants must retain a digital or hard copy of their photo entries.

All photo entries are subject to moderation. Owner and/or its agents have absolute discretion to accept, reject, or remove any photo entry at any time without providing a reason.

Photo entries may be rejected for reasons including, but not limited to:

Defamatory, malicious, or inappropriate content
Content infringing on intellectual property rights
Submission of ineligible animals
Violation of these Terms and Conditions

3. Entry Period

The Contest begins at 8:30 AM (ET) on February 2, 2026, and ends at 11:59 PM (ET) on March 15, 2026 (“Entry Period”). Late entries will not be accepted.

4. How to Enter

Visit VirginiaLiving.com/CutestPet2026 and complete the official entry form.
Submit the pet’s photo and required information.

Owner is not responsible for lost, late, misdirected, or incomplete entries.

5. Voting

Public voting will take place from March 16 through April 17, 2026.

Each person may cast one (1) free vote per day throughout the voting period. Voters may also choose to purchase additional votes to cheer on a favorite pet and help amplify their support.

A portion of proceeds from purchased votes benefits the Virginia Beach SPCA, helping fund humane care, affordable veterinary services, and community programs that support pets and families. Every extra vote helps extend that impact.

All votes are final, and no refunds will be issued for votes, including purchased votes.

To keep the contest fair and fun for everyone, the Owner reserves the right to review voting activity and may remove votes or disqualify entries if fraudulent or manipulative behavior is suspected.

Winners are determined by reader votes within each category. The Owner also reserves the right to consider photo quality, originality, and alignment with the spirit of the Contest when confirming winners.

In the event of a tie, tied finalists will be reviewed and the winner determined by the Owner at its discretion.

6. Prizes

One winner will be selected in each of the four categories.

Each winner will receive:

A swag bundle from Virginia Living
Branded merchandise selection from the Virginia Beach SPCA
A featured spotlight in Virginia Living magazine
A faux Virginia Living magazine cover featuring their pet
A one-night stay at Kimpton The Forum Hotel in Charlottesville, subject to:
- Booking requirements
- Blackout dates
- Pet policies
- Expiration windows
- Other limitations set by the hotel
- Winners are responsible for their own transportation to and from Charlottesville
A professional pet portrait session with Beloved Pet & Equine Photography, subject to the following terms:
- The required photo session planning meeting must be scheduled by July 24, 2026
- The portrait session must take place by December 31, 2026
- Sessions will take place within 40 minutes of Richmond, Virginia
- If a session is requested more than 45 minutes outside of Richmond, Virginia, an optional travel fee may apply and will be the responsibility of the winner
- Winners are responsible for their own transportation to and from the portrait session
A handcrafted ceramic pet bowl from Emerson Creek Pottery

Exact prize items and details may vary between winners based on category eligibility, availability, and partner terms; however, all prize packages will be of comparable value.

Owner reserves full editorial discretion over published content.

Prizes are awarded “as is.” Winners are responsible for all taxes and any expenses not expressly listed.

7. Donation Commitment

A portion of proceeds from paid voting will benefit the Virginia Beach SPCA, supporting animal care, adoption, and community programs.

8. Rights and Permissions

By entering, participants grant Owner a worldwide, royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable, sublicensable license to use submitted photos for promotional and editorial purposes.

Owner may edit or adapt entries as needed.

Participants agree to indemnify Owner against claims related to submitted content.

9. General Terms

Owner is not responsible for technical issues affecting submissions or voting.
Owner may disqualify participants for violations, fraud, or unsportsmanlike conduct.
Owner reserves the right to cancel, modify, or suspend the Contest at any time.
All decisions by Owner are final and binding.

10. Data Usage & Email Communications

Personal information will be used to administer the Contest and related initiatives.

By participating, entrants agree to receive marketing and editorial email communications from Owner. Participants may unsubscribe from email communications at any time via the unsubscribe link included in those emails.

If entrants consent to receive promotional SMS messages from Owner, they agree to receive recurring promotional text messages. Message frequency may vary. Message and data rates may apply.

Participants may reply STOP at any time to opt out of SMS messages or HELP for support.

Limited information may be shared with trusted partners solely for the purpose of contest fulfillment.