No, we’re accepting submissions of all types of animals, pets, or otherwise. For example, it can be your kittens or puppies, farm animals, or animals at your local zoo. The more variety, the better!

No, we will not accept photos that have been edited using Photoshop, AI-assisted tools, or any other program. 

You can only submit photos that you took yourself. Submission of AI-generated images or another person’s photos is not permitted. 

We’ll accept both, but a vertical (portrait) photo usually provides more flexibility on how it could be used.

No, this is a play on preparedness for everyone. The campaign will cover different ways people and animals can prepare for disasters. But having a plan for your pet is an important part of being prepared! 

No, the focus should be on the animals.

No, please send your photo without words or a caption. We’ll add any caption to ensure font and size consistency. 

Winning photos will be featured in APHA’s Get Ready materials, which could consist of a calendar, social media posts or other items. There are no other prizes.

You will retain ownership of your photo. But by submitting your photo, you are granting APHA unlimited, irrevocable, uncompensated licensing rights to your photo. That gives APHA permission to use it for things like marketing, promotion, editorial use, and communication, etc. We may sell or give away a calendar or T-shirt, etc., that has your photo on it to promote preparedness. 

The photos will be judged for quality, applicability to  preparedness, and general appeal. A committee from APHA’s Get Ready team will pick the winning photos.

The better quality your photo is, the more likely you are to win. The best photos are larger than 5 MB. When you email your submission, make sure you submit the largest file size possible. You can find instructions on how to do this online.

The contest is open for submissions through midnight EDT on Monday, July 13, 2026. Winners will be announced on the Get Ready website after the contest closes. 

Contest entries should be submitted via email to [email protected]. Include your name, address, and phone number as well as the name of the animal, if applicable. Photos should be attached to your email, not placed within it, in the largest file size available (at least 5 MB) and in .jpg (JPEG) format. 

As in any contest, we have legal rules and regulations. Check them out on the photo contest information page. 

Please don’t hurt the animals! Photographers should maintain the safety of the animals — and themselves — when taking their photos.