Nathan Schmidt snapped his two dogs have a bit of an accidental fight in ‘I Didn’t Mean It!’ in Grand Rapids, USA (Picture: Barcroft)

If you can get through these pictures without at least raising a smile then you have no soul.

The funniest pictures of people’s pets have been compiled for the inaugural Comedy Pet Photoraphy Awards.

Toothbrush removed from man's stomach after he swallowed it while brushing

Photographers Tom Sullam and Paul Johnson-Hicks MBE have collected over 2,500 entries and, after some careful consideration, they have narrowed down the photos to their favourites.

Tom said: ‘We want primarily a laugh out loud moment: a picture that grabs us instantaneously.


‘The idea of the competition is to make us appreciate our pets for their humour, and their ability to give us so much more than just company.

Simon DeKnock captures his dog Maui the minpin chilling on the way back from the shops in ‘Chilling’ in Cheltenham (Picture: Barcroft)

Nando Harmsen caught this horse having a prance in ‘Look At Me’ in Gemert, Netherlands (Picture: Barcroft)

‘The pictures that make us laugh the most are the ones that make us appreciate pets the most.’



Winners will be announced in early September, once the judges have made a final decision.

Security guard filmed 'trying to strangle colleague' at train station

A panel of expert judges are now going through the finalists to select their winner and runners up – the team includes Paul Joynson-Hicks MBE and Tom Sullam, TV wildlife presenter Kate Humble, longtime publisher of photography magazines Adam Scorey, veterinary surgeon Emma Milne, photographer Simon Pollock and Michelle Riley, Director of Photography at The Humane Society of the United States.

Sullam added: ‘It has been an absolutely fantastic response to a fledgling competition.

‘There are so many wonderful images that have been entered, and many that were so close to making the final 40.

Georgie Bain takes a selfie with her horse in ‘Best Friends’ in Aberdeen (Picture: Barcroft)

Gabriel Constantin Marian got a cat to take its selfie portrait in Suceava, Romania (Picture: Barcroft)

Vincent Guilbaud’s ‘Dance of the Wolf’ captures a wolf appearing to perform for his pack in Canada (Picture: Barcroft)

Nir Natan captured a dog and a cat making friends in ‘Buddies’ in Bezet Beach, Israel (Picture: Barcroft)

‘We hope the competition will continue to raise awareness of animals and it has tied in brilliantly with the Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards, which will announce winners in December.’

What is the Ig Nobel Prize and who won it this year?

The awards are split into five categories: overall competition winner, junior photographer (15 and under), the ancients (70 and over), pets who look like their owners and ‘Gone to the Dogs’ – which is just for man’s best friend.

The overall winner of the Comedy pet Photography Awards 2017 will win £2,000, an Urban Approach 5 camera bag from the THINK TANK people, £100 WEX Photographic gift voucher and a trophy handmade by disabled men and women in Tanzania by the Wonder Workshop.

Each category winner will also receive a camera bag and £100 gift voucher, plus certificate.

Connie Fore snaps a dog eyeing up a treat in ‘Cheese Catcher’ in Columbus, USA (Picture: Barcroft)

Jackson Chu compares treats with his dog in ‘Different Strokes For Different Folks ‘in Victoria, Canada (Picture: Barcroft)

John Banas snapped his cat enjoying a toilet bath in ‘Caught’ in Des Plaines, Illinois (Picture: Barcroft)

Peggy VanSickle snapped a donkey having a giggle in ‘Laughing Burro’ in Custer State Park, USA (Picture: Barcroft)

Brecht Van Gampelaere snapped their cat posing on a podium on ‘On Guard’ in Gent, Belgium (Picture: Barcroft)

Ariel Berry caught her cat checking itself out in ‘Mirror, Mirror’ in Albion, USA (Picture: Barcroft)

Alice van Kempen caught this silhouette of her two dogs in ‘Riding Along’ in Rockanje Netherlands (Picture: Barcroft)

Gabriel Constantin Marian snapped a shocked cat in ‘Curiosity’ in Suceava, Romania (Picture: Barcroft)

Liz Hammond caught her goat on a happy day in ‘Smile! You Are On Camera’ in Warwickshire (Picture: Barcroft)

Andreas Ettl caught a loopy horse on camera in “Show Me Your Best Smile” in Iceland (Picture: Barcroft)

Anne Lise Gramstad caught her windswept dog on film in ‘Beach Please!’ in Ogna Beach, Norway (Picture: Barcroft)

Heather Ross caught her cat having a superhero moment in ‘Supercat!’ in Birmingham (Picture: Barcroft)

Erika Hetzel caught her dog enjoying the wind in ‘Windblown’ in Wisconsin (Picture: Barcroft)

Jim Zuckerman caught his dog taking a leap in ‘Jumping For Joy’ in Franklin, USA (Picture: Barcroft)

Aleksei Syrkin snapped two dogs have a heated debate in ‘Dog Language’ in Khabarovsk, Russia

Fani Moraiti snapped his cat at the perfect moment in ‘I’ll Be Watching You’ in Patras, Greece (Picture: Barcroft)

Connie Fore snapped her dog being hypnotised by a bubble in Harvard, USA (Picture: Barcroft)

Scarpa Filipa caught her cats comparing sizes in ‘I Am Big Enough…’ in Santarem, Portugal (Picture: Barcroft)

Axl Marsh captured his pony enjoying a good roll around in ‘That’s The Spot’ in Minnesota, United States

Barb Wentzel caught her cat taking on the wall in ‘Herding Cats’ in New Jersey, United States (Picture: Barcroft)

Katie Alder caught her dog running gracefully in ‘Flying Lurcher’ in Oxfordshire (Picture: Barcroft)

Esra Tatar snapped this cheeky kitty pulling a face in Kuching, Belgium (Picture: Barcroft)

Annie McMillan caught her cat going for a ride in ‘Cowboy Banjo’ in Sioux Falls, United States (Picture: Barcroft)

Annette Edgar captures her six month old Siamese curled up doing his yoga practice in ‘Tippi In A Bowl’ in Cherry Willingham (Picture: Barcroft)

Lance Bellers caught his dog trying to take over the wheel in ‘Mirror, Signal, Manoeuvre’ in Brighton (Picture: Barcroft)