Get ready for another year of celebrating Vancouver Island’s dogs! The Vancouver Island Dogs 2027 Calendar Contest is your chance to showcase your beloved pup while supporting a great cause and winning great prizes along the way. This heartwarming contest is open to all dogs who call Vancouver Island home.
All proceeds from the contest and calendar sales will go to Operation Freedom Paws Canada (OFP Canada), a registered Canadian charity (#772042735RR0001) that transforms the lives of people with disabilities by pairing them with rescued dogs. OFP Canada empowers clients to train their own service dogs, certifying them as Certified Service Dog Teams as governed by the BC Guide Dog and Service Dog Act. This small but mighty charity rescues both ends of the leash.
With plans to build a permanent training facility in Fanny Bay, OFP Canada is working to expand its impact—and you can help them reach their goal!
This year's contest launches at 9:00 AM (Pacific Time) on Friday, May 1, 2026 and runs for 5 weeks until 9:00 PM (Pacific Time) on Sunday, May 31, 2026.
How to Enter🐾 Submit a photo of your dog with a $10 donation to enter.
🐾 Share your entry link with friends and family to collect votes!
🐾 Each vote is $1 (minimum of $5 per transaction)—so rally your supporters and help your pup win a spot in the calendar!
Amazing prizes await, and most importantly, your participation will support life-changing service dog training for those in need.
Let’s celebrate Vancouver Island’s dogs while giving back—enter today! 🐶📸
12 Winners:The Grand Prize Winner (the dog with the highest number of votes overall)
- The Cover AND A Dog of the Month image in the Vancouver Island Dogs 2027 Calendar,
- A 2-night stay in a Main Floor Triplex Cabin at Middle Beach Lodge in Tofino,
- ONE YEAR SUPPLY (12 bags) of Canadian NUTRAM dog food (your choice of recipes and bag sizes) AND
- A basket of assorted Grandpaw's Treats
- A basket of treats and food fresh from the ocean by Fresh Fetch.
The 2nd Place Winner
- The Dog of the Month image in the Vancouver Island Dogs 2027 Calendar,
- A Prince of Whales sunset whale watching adventure for two aboard Salish Sea Eclipse Catamaran (departure from Victoria)
- A bag of Canadian NUTRAM dog food (your choice of recipe and bag size),
- A bag of Grandpaw's Treats (your choice of protein)
The 3rd Place Winner
- The Dog of the Month image in the Vancouver Island Dogs 2027 Calendar,
- Afternoon Tea for Two at the Fairmont Empress Hotel,
- A bag of Canadian NUTRAM dog food (your choice of recipes and bag size),
- A bag of Grandpaw's Treats (your choice of protein)
The 4th- 12th Place Winners
- The Dog of the Month image in the Vancouver Island Dogs 2027 Calendar.
- A bag of Canadian NUTRAM dog food (your choice of recipes and bag size) AND
- A bag of Grandpaw's Treats (your choice of protein)
Weekly Mini-Contest Winners
Each week of the 5-week-long contest, the Vancouver Island dog with the most NEW votes will win a Mini-Contest prize package and a local prize if available. Weekly prizes and their winners will be announced in a newsletter which will be sent to the e-mail address that you provide with your entry information. You can unsubscribe from the newsletter any time.
The Weekly Mini-Competitions run from Wednesday 9 AM PST to the following Wednesday at 8:59:59 AM PST, except in Week 5 when the weekly contest ends with the Calendar Contest at 8:59:59 PM PST on Wednesday April 30th, 2026.
Reserve a Special Date in the calendar for your petCelebrate your dog's, cat's or other pet's birthday, adoption day or honor your pet in memoriam by reserving a date for their photo in the calendar grid. Choose your favorite photo, select a date, and submit a $10 donation below. The squares will be filled on a first come, first served basis.
Reserve Your Day Here →FAQ
Who can I contact for help or more information?
Send an e-mail explaining your question to Pauliina at
pauliina@pauliinasaarinen.com. She'll get back to you promptly.
How are the votes counted?
Donations made in support of the cause are valued at 1 vote for every $1.00 donated. The minimum donation is $5, which equals 5 votes. There may also be promotions where donors can get bonus votes. The contest platform will automatically tally votes as they come in.
How do I win or get a spot in the calendar?
Fundraise to keep your dog in the Top 12 of the leaderboard. Get your family and friends vote for your dog(s) in the contest. You can also vote for your own dog as it all supports the Operation Freedom Paws Service Dog Program. Each week of the contest, there are lots of fantastic prizes for top-voted dogs. At contest end, the first twelve dogs with the most votes win a spot in the calendar.
How do I change my entry photo?
To change your entry photo, please email the new photo and a link to your contest entry to
pauliina@pauliinasaarinen.com.
My pet has passed away. May I still enter them?
Because each calendar winner will be photographed for the calendar by Pauliina Saarinen Photography, the winners have to be living dogs. You can honour your pet in memoriam by purchasing a date in the calendar grid for his/her photograph
HERE.
If I win a spot in the calendar, what happens next?
Pauliina will contact you soon after the contest is over to organize a complimentary session to photograph your winning dog for the calendar. If you would like to have more images taken or include more dogs or people, you can upgrade to a full 90-min photography session for $125.00.
Where and when will the calendars be available for purchase?
The calendars will become available for purchase from Operation Freedom Paws Canada online store later in the year. Pauliina will keep you informed when they are hot off the press and ready to be ordered.
Can I be disqualified?
Pauliina Saarinen Photography reserves the right to disqualify an entry based on objectionable content or depiction of the animal or persons in a photo.
When and where will winners be announced?
You'll receive the news regarding the contest to the e-mail address you provide with your entry information. Pauliina will keep you posted about prizes, weekly winners and what happens after the contest. Please expect to receive two e-mails per week during the competition.
Will I get my tax receipt?
The automatic confirmation after you have made a donation serves as your tax receipt. It includes all the details required by Canada Revenue Agency. Please save it for your records.
All prizes are generously donated by businesses located on Vancouver Island or elsewhere in Canada. Your support is very much appreciated. Thank you!
All winners will be contacted
AFTER the competition, starting in 1st week of May, 2026 to arrange the date and location of winner's calendar sessions.
Please refer to the contest homepage for the prizes in the overall contest.
All 12 calendar dogs will be photographed by Pauliina Saarinen Photography to create a wall calendar for 2027. The calendar will be available for purchase from the charity in the fall of 2026. The photography sessions will take place at a mutually agreed location on Vancouver Island between May and July 2026. Please note that some travel to the photography location may be required. If the winner is unable to commit to a session within May and July 2026, the winner will forfeit the prize, and the next dog in the leaderboard will take the dog's spot in the calendar.
All winners will have an opportunity to purchase wall art or other photographic products following their calendar session if desired.
Weekly Mini-Contest Prizes:
Each week of the 5-week-long contest, the Vancouver Island dog with the highest number of NEW VOTES will win a mini-contest prize package.
There may also be an additional LOCAL PRIZE reserved for the dog with the highest number of NEW VOTES in that particular week. Local prizes are redeemed at the place of donating business.
In the event of a tie, a random computerized draw will be held between the highest vote-getters of the week to determine that week's winner. In case there are no new votes for that week, a random computerized draw will be held for all eligible dogs.
PLEASE NOTE that certain individual business restrictions and limitations may apply and may vary by business. Pauliina Saarinen Photography or Operation Freedom Paws Canada is not responsible for these restrictions and eligibility requirements determined by donating businesses.
Entries:
- Submit a photograph of your dog and make a $10 donation to Operation Freedom Paws Canada at the contest site.
- Limit of TWO dogs of the same family per photo entry. No people are allowed in entry photographs.
- Entries must be living dogs to be eligible to win. In Memoriam photos are welcomed in available date squares of the calendar for a $10 donation. Date squares are reserved on a first come, first served basis.
- The dog(s) entered in the competition must be living on Vancouver Island or on the islands off the Vancouver Island. Please note that the calendar sessions will take place on the mainland Vancouver Island.
- All donations from entries are non-refundable.
- All entry photos must be uploaded through the competition software. We no not accept printed photos. The entry photograph must be taken by you. We do not accept any copyrighted or professional photos.
- The submission period starts at 9:00 AM (Pacific Time) on Friday, May 1, 2026 and ends at 9:00 PM (Pacific Time) on Sunday, May 31, 2026.
- Any photograph that includes content that is deemed inappropriate, indecent, or obscene, as determined by Pauliina Saarinen Photography, in their sole discretion, will be removed from the contest with no opportunity for a refund.
- Each dog may be entered only once. Posting more than one photo of your dog does not increase the chances of winning.
- The 12 winners of the Calendar Contest will be determined by the number of votes they receive. Votes are tallied by the contest software.
- IMPORTANT - THE AUTOMATIC RESPONSE CONFIRMING YOUR DONATION TO OFP CANADA IS YOUR TAX RECEIPT. PLEASE SAVE IT FOR YOUR RECORDS.
Voting:- The Voting Period starts at 9:00 AM (Pacific Time) on Friday, May 1, 2026 and ends at 9:00 PM (Pacific Time) on Sunday, May 31, 2026.
- Votes can come from anywhere in the world.
- One (1) vote is a $1 donation. A minimum donation is $5 (five votes).
- All donations from voting are non-refundable. Voting and other donations must be made through the online contest page, which is a secured site for money transactions.
- IMPORTANT - THE AUTOMATIC RESPONSE CONFIRMING YOUR DONATION TO OFP CANADA IS YOUR TAX RECEIPT. PLEASE SAVE IT FOR YOUR RECORDS.
- All winners will be determined by electronic vote tabulation under the supervision of GOGO Photo Contest whose decisions are final and binding.
Calendar Photo Sessions:- At contest end, the 12 TOP-VOTED dogs overall will win a photography session with award-winning dog photographer Pauliina Saarinen Photography. The sessions will take place from May until June 2026 at a mutually agreed location on the mainland Vancouver Island. Some travel to the photography location may be required. If you are unable to commit to a session between May-June, you forfeit your winning and the next dog will take your dog's spot in the calendar.
- The photographer will choose, in their sole discretion, an image of each dog for the calendar as well as the month that the image will appear.
- Calendars will be available for sale in the fall of 2026. They are purchased directly from Operation Freedom Paws Canada.
Weekly Mini-Contests:- Each week of the 5-week contest, the Vancouver Island dog with the most NEW VOTES will win a Mini-Contest prize.
- Some weeks there may be an additional prize for the top-voted dog in specific localities on Vancouver Island. Prizes and the winners will be announced in a newsletter, which will be sent to the e-mail address that you provide each week. Local prizes are redeemed at the place of the donating business.
- The five weekly Mini-Competitions run from Wednesday 9 am PST to the following Wednesday at 8:59:59 am PST, except in Week 5 when the weekly contest ends with the Calendar Contest at 9:00 PM (Pacific Time) on Sunday, May 31, 2026.
- In the event of a tie, a random computerized draw will be held between the highest vote-getters of the week to determine that week's winner.
- In case there are no new votes for that week, a random computerized draw will be held for all eligible dogs.
- Certain individual business restrictions and limitations may apply and may vary by business. Pauliina Saarinen Photography or OFP Canada is not responsible for these restrictions and eligibility requirements as determined by each business.
The Fine Print:- By submitting a photo entry, you warrant and represent that your entry is your own original work created by you and that you own or otherwise control all the rights to your entry materials. If you submit an entry that is copyrighted by another individual, you are responsible for any legal action the copyright holder takes against you.
- By participating in the contest you agree to receive e-mail from Pauliina Saarinen Photography to keep you updated on the contest. You can unsubscribe any time if you do not wish to receive these e-mails.
- By participating in the contest, entrants agree to release and hold harmless Operation Freedom Paws Canada and Pauliina Saarinen Photography and each of their respective officers, directors, representatives, volunteers and agents (the Released Parties) from and against any claims of any nature arising out of participation in the Contest or receipt or use of any prize.