Contest Rules

The Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation is proud to present the 2027 Howling Heroes Calendar Contest, celebrating dogs that remind us how to be loyal, help others, and be better humans.

The contest opens at 8:00 AM (Pacific Time) on Thursday, April 30th, 2026, and closes at 8:00 PM (Pacific Time) on Friday, May 15, 2026.

• Open to all U.S. residents who are at least eighteen (18) years of age.
• Only photos of dogs will be permitted
• One entry per dog. If you wish to enter multiple dogs, please submit them each separately.
• Winners must be available for a professional photoshoot (Date TBD) and Saturday, May 16, at 9:00 am, for the on-air KTLA announcement in Los Angeles.
• Dogs must be able to safely participate in a professional photoshoot with LAFD firefighters.
• The contest is subject to all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations. Void where prohibited or restricted by law or regulations

• Each $1 donated equals 1 vote.
• The suggested donation for entry is $10. A donation is not required for entry, but it does have an impact.
• All donations must be made online and directly to the contestant's page to be counted.
• Votes/donations received outside the contest window will not be eligible.
• Entrants may vote for their own entries - it will set an example to everyone you share your pet’s page with!
• All donations are tax-deductible. Please save your receipts for your tax records.

• There are 12 full pages to win (the cover and each month). The top fundraiser will be awarded the cover and a month, and the next 11 dogs will be awarded their own month.*
• All 12 winners will be invited to participate in a professional photoshoot with LAFD firefighters.
• The top fundraiser becomes the official 2026 LAFD K9 mascot, is featured on the cover of the 2027 LAFD Howling Heroes Calendar, and appears on KTLA News.
• Winners will be contacted within 24 hours of the contest closing to coordinate next steps.

• Photos must be clear and in focus.
• Photos must only contain dogs (no people or wildlife).
• Photos must be full-color - no heavily filtered, edited, or altered photos.
• Photos deemed offensive, indecent, or obscene will be removed from the contest.
• Dogs must not be exhibiting signs of distress or potential distress in the submitted image.
• If the photo contains an individual, you must be able to confirm and provide written authorization from that person for the LAFD Foundation to use the photo.
• If the photo was taken by a professional photographer, you must provide the release/waiver from them to avoid copyright infringement.
• When you enter you will need to provide: 
  
  • Name of dog
  • Owner's name
  • Owner's email address
  • City and state
  • A few sentences that tell voters why your dog should win!
• Optional:
  • Tell us if you have a connection to the LAFD and why you have entered (this will not affect your entry).

• By entering the contest, you acknowledge and give permission to the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation to use the name, story, and photo of the animal entered in future various publications, promotions, and materials in perpetuity.
• Photos taken by a professional photographer must have the photographer's written permission to enter.
• Winners consent to participation in a professional photoshoot with LAFD firefighters for promotional use.
• Offensive or inappropriate dog names may be edited or disallowed. If this occurs, entrants may provide a revised name or be disqualified/removed.
• LAFD Foundation reserves the right to disqualify any entry based on content that violates its values or policies.

So long as a dog does not look distressed, you may enter the contest with whatever picture you choose - but winning submissions must follow the rules below for promotional materials:

• Photos submitted must include at least one dog, who should be present in no less than 2/3 of the frame.
• Please ensure that the photo is sharp and in focus
• Dogs in photographs taken outdoors must be shown wearing a collar and ID tag
• If the photo contains an individual, you must be able to confirm and provide written authorization from that person for the LAFD Foundation to use the photo.

*Page/Prize awarded, providing the entry meets all listed requirements, along with any unforeseen issues (e.g. transportation to and from the photo shoot).

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The Legal stuff

When you enter the "Howling Heroes" contest, you warrant that you are at least eighteen (18) years old as of the date of entry, that the photograph is original, that you are the sole owner and copyright holder of that photograph, and that you have not granted exclusive rights of that photograph to any other person or entity. You also warrant that the photograph does not invade the right of privacy of any individual; does not infringe any trademark, trade name, trade secret, intellectual property right, or other common law or statutory right; nor does it contain any material that otherwise violates any criminal prohibition or the personal or proprietary rights of any person or entity.

With regard to any image or content submitted, you agree to grant the LAFD Foundation, its legal representatives, successors, and assigns, the nonexclusive right and permission to use, modify, adapt, reproduce, publish, and distribute the photograph, or any portion thereof, throughout the world, in any printed form and by any kind of mechanical or electronic or any other method or device of reproduction, publication, and distribution known or later developed, during the full term of the copyright, and without notification or payment.

LAFD Foundation shall not be responsible for printing, typographical, human, or other errors of any kind in any contest-related materials or for stolen, lost, late, misdirected, damaged, incomplete, or illegible entries. If, for any reason, the contest is not capable of running as planned, or infection by computer viruses, bugs, or tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud, actions of entrants, technical failures, or any other causes corrupt or infect the administration, security, fairness, integrity, or proper conduct of the contest, the LAFD Foundation reserves the right at its sole discretion to disqualify any entry or entrant and/or to cancel, terminate, modify, or suspend the contest and at its sole discretion award a prize from among all eligible non-suspect entries validly received prior to the action requiring such modification. By entering, all contestants agree that the contest is governed by laws of the State of California for the resolution of all claims and disputes (excluding any claims against or disputes involving parties other than the Foundation relating to any prize awarded in the contests).

Personally identifiable information provided by entrants and voters will be added to the Foundation's email list. Entrants and voters will be able to "opt out" of future such communications by following the instructions on any electronic communication we send. The Foundation does not sell, rent, trade or share its email addresses with any third parties for such party's own marketing purposes.

LEGAL WARNING: ANY ATTEMPT BY AN INDIVIDUAL, WHETHER OR NOT AN ENTRANT, TO DELIBERATELY DAMAGE, DESTROY, TAMPER OR VANDALIZE THIS WEB SITE OR INTERFERE WITH THE OPERATION OF THE CONTEST, IS A VIOLATION OF CRIMINAL AND CIVIL LAWS AND LAFD FOUNDATION RESERVES THE RIGHT TO SEEK DAMAGES AND DILIGENTLY PURSUE ALL REMEDIES AGAINST ANY SUCH INDIVIDUAL TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW.