Rules

Official 2023 Dog of the Year Contest Rules
ALL FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL, AND MUNICIPAL LAWS AND REGULATIONS APPLY. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED.


The 2023 Dog of the Year Contest (the Contest) is open to legal residents of the fifty (50) United States and the District of Columbia who are at least sixteen (16) years old at the time of entry. The Contest is subject to federal, state, and local laws and regulations.


The contest is sponsored by paws4people foundation®. Sponsors include Wrightsville Beach Brewery, Brunswick Beer and Cider, WECT, and Samantha Ann Photography.


Participation in the Contest constitutes entrants full and unconditional agreement to and acceptance of these Official Rules and the decisions of the primary Sponsor, which are final and binding. Winning a prize is contingent upon being compliant with these Official Rules and fulfilling all other requirements set forth herein.


The Submission Period starts at 6:00:00 AM (Eastern Time) on Tuesday, November 15, 2022 and ends at 11:59:59 PM (Eastern Time) on Saturday, December 31, 2022.

The Voting Period starts at 6:00:00 AM (Eastern Time) on Thursday, December 1, 2022 and ends at 11:59:59 PM (Eastern Time) on Saturday, December 31, 2022.

The Submission Period and the Voting Period combined constitute the Contest Period. Entries that are submitted before or after the Submission Period will be disqualified. Submissions will be accepted for the duration of the Submission Period through online submissions only.


Enter online by visiting our website (www.gogophotocontest.com/dogoftheyear) and following the directions provided to complete the entry information and submit. Submissions are accepted during the Submission Period only. A minimum $10 donation is required to enter a dog in the contest. A $10 donation gives your dog 10 votes. If you donate more when you enter, the dollar amount of the donation will equal the number of votes assigned to your dog. Only pictures of dogs may be submitted.

The same pet can be entered into the contest multiple times, but votes will not be combined across multiple entries of the same pet. You can enter more than one dog in the contest. Any entrant with multiple pets in the image will be asked to provide an alternative image or be disqualified from the contest. Any entrant with people in the image will be asked to provide an alternative image or be disqualified from the contest.

An artist rendering or characterization of the winning dog by artist Emma Gay will be featured on the label of a limited run of a Wrightsville Beach Brewery beer can label.

All photos entered in the contest must meet these requirements:

• 150 dpi (300 dpi preferred).
• At least 4 inches in height or width.
• Photo files should be clear, clean and in focus.
• Photos used in the submission on the voting platform will not necessarily be used for the beer can art.
• Once winner has been announced, winner will need to provide a photograph of the dog with the following parameters: one single dog, head-on, in natural (outdoor) lighting, and in full color.

Each $1 donation counts as 1 vote. We encourage you to e-mail and post on social media the contest link to family and friends and encourage them to vote for your favorite contestant's photo. Votes may be cast during the Voting Period only.

All donations for votes are non-refundable and not tax-deductible (that's because you receive a vote in exchange for the donation). Entries and donations must be made via the online contest page. Donations and photo entries for this online contest that are submitted via other means (snail mail, in-person or main website donation page) will be accepted as donations but not applied toward the contest. Contest payments online are through a secure site.



We will notify the winner at the conclusion of the voting period (on or about Monday, January 2nd, 2023). If the potential winners cannot be contacted by paws4people within 24 hours after the date of the first attempt to contact him/her, paws4people may select an alternate potential winner in his/her place from the next non-winning, eligible top vote-getter.


The potential winners will be notified by email or phone by paws4people staff. If potential winner cannot be contacted by paws4people within 24 hours after the date of the first attempt to contact him/her, paws4people may select an alternate potential winner in his/her place from the next non-winning, eligible top vote-getter.

Potential winners must continue to comply with all terms and conditions of these Official Rules and winning is contingent upon fulfilling all requirements. If a potential winner is disqualified for any reason, paws4people will award the applicable prize to an alternate winner among remaining eligible entries.


Grand Prize - The Grand Prize winner will have their dog's drawing or characterization and dog's name featured on the beer can labels for a limited run of the 2023 Wrightsville Beach Brewery Pale Ale Beer by Wrightsville Beach Brewery in Wilmington, NC. paws4people's Staff reserves the right to choose which image of the Winner will be used on the beer can. If local to the Wilmington, NC area, the Grand Prize winner will receive a framed commemorative beer can label of the 2023 Wrightsville Beach Brewery Pale Ale with dog's drawing or characterization and pet's name featured. If winner is not local to the Wilmington, NC area, framed commemorative artwork of the Beer Can will be shipped to winner. The grand prize winner will also receive PNG Files (8x10 inches") of artist's renderings of dog in black and white and in color sent digitally via email.

The Grand Prize winner will also receive a cash prize of $500 provided by paws4people. The Grand Prize winner will receive $100 gift card from Wrightsville Beach Brewery in Wilmington, NC. The Grand Prize winner will be awarded a mini photo shoot of the winning dog with professional photographer Samantha Ann Photography, valued at $400. This photography shoot includes 3 digital files, (2) 8x10 Lustre Prints & a small proofing gallery to choose from and additional digital files or professional prints can be purchased at that time within 2-4 weeks. Upgrades are also available for this photography package. Session must take place between January 3, 2023 - March 31, 2023. Photography appointment is required, and dates are given based on the current availability at that time. The Grand Prize winner will be honored at a special Brewery event to be announced at a later date. This event may be covered by WECT, the contest media sponsor, and other media.

Finalists – The second and third-place finalists with the most votes will each receive a $50 gift certificate from Wrightsville Beach Brewery. The second and third place winners will also be invited to participate in a special event at Brewery to be announced at a later date. This event may be covered by WECT, the contest media sponsor, and other media.


In the event that the operation, security, or administration of the Contest is impaired in any way for any reason, including, but not limited to fraud, virus, bug, worm, unauthorized human intervention or other technical problem, or in the event the Contest is unable to run as planned for any other reason, as determined by paws4people in its sole discretion, paws4people may, in its sole discretion, either (a) suspend the Contest to address the impairment and then resume the contest in a manner that best conforms to the spirit of these Official Rules or (b) terminate the contest and, in the event of termination, award the prize at random from among the eligible, non-suspect entries received up to the time of the impairment. paws4people reserves the right in its sole discretion to disqualify any individual it finds to be tampering with the entry process or the operation of the Contest or to be acting in violation of these Official Rules or in an unsportsmanlike or disruptive manner. Any attempt by any person to damage the website or undermine the legitimate operation of the Contest may be a violation of criminal and civil law, and should such an attempt be made, paws4people reserves the right to seek damages (including attorney's fees) and any other remedies from any such person to the fullest extent permitted by law. Failure by paws4people to enforce any provision of these Official Rules shall not constitute a waiver of that provision.


By participating in the Contest, entrants hereby grant paws4people foundation permission to use submitted photographs, video, or other digital media ("photo") in any and all of its promotional materials, publications, including web-based publications, without payment or other consideration. Entrants understand that all photos become the property of paws4people foundation and will not be returned. Entrants irrevocably authorize paws4people foundation to edit, alter, copy, exhibit, publish, or distribute these photos for any lawful purpose. In addition, entrants waive any right to inspect or approve the finished product wherein the submitted photo appears. Additionally, entrant waives any right to royalties or other compensation arising or related to the use of the photos.

By participating in the Contest, entrants agree to release and hold harmless the Sponsor, and each of their respective parents, subsidiaries, affiliates, advertising and promotion agencies, other companies associated with the contest, and each of their respective officers, directors, employees, shareholders, representatives, and agents (the Released Parties) from and against any claim or cause of action arising out of participation in the Contest or receipt or use of the prize (including any travel or activity related thereto), including, but not limited to: (a) any technical errors associated with the Contest, including lost, interrupted or unavailable Internet Service Provider (ISP), network, server, wireless service provider, or other connections, availability or accessibility or miscommunications or failed computer, satellite, telephone, cellular tower or cable transmissions, lines, or technical failure or jumbled, scrambled, delayed, or misdirected transmissions or computer hardware or software malfunctions, failures or difficulties; (b) unauthorized human intervention in the Contest; (c) mechanical, network, electronic, computer, human, printing or typographical errors; (d) application downloads, (e) any other errors or problems in connection with the Contest, including, without limitation, errors that may occur in the administration of the Contest, the announcement of the winner, the cancellation or postponement of the event, if applicable, the incorrect downloading of the application the processing of entries application downloads or in any Contest-related materials; or (f) injury, death, losses or damages of any kind, to persons or property which may be caused, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, from entrants participation in the contest or acceptance, receipt or misuse of the prize (including any travel or activity related thereto). Entrant further agrees that in any cause of action, the Released Parties liability will be limited to the cost of entering and participating in the Contest, and in no event shall the entrant be entitled to receive attorney's fees. Released Parties are also not responsible for any incorrect or inaccurate information, whether caused by site users, tampering, hacking, or by any equipment or programming associated with or utilized in the Contest. Entrant waives the right to claim any damages whatsoever, including, but not limited to, punitive, consequential, direct, or indirect damages.


Except where prohibited, each entrant agrees that any and all disputes, claims and causes of action arising out of, or connected with, the contest or any prize awarded shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action, and exclusively by the appropriate court located in North Carolina. All issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and enforceability of these Official Rules, entrant's rights and obligations, or the rights and obligations of the Sponsor in connection with the contest, shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of North Carolina, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law rules, which would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdiction other than North Carolina.


Information collected from entrants is subject to paws4people's privacy policy.