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Comedy Pet Photo Awards announce 2023 winners

Michel Zoghzoghi’s ‘A life changing experience’ is overall winner.

 

Overall Winner and Best Cat Category Winner: A life-changing experience (C) Michel Zoghzoghi/Comedy Pets

 
The Comedy Pet Photography Awards has announced that Michel Zoghzoghi has been awarded the title of Comedy Pet Photographer of the Year for his photograph ‘A life-changing experience’.

The competition, now in its fourth year, encourages entrants to send in funny images and videos for a chance to win in various categories. It was created by Paul Joynson-Hicks and Tom Sullam to highlight the vital role that pets have in people’s lives.

Michel Zoghzoghi’s entry, which features his rescue kittens Max and Alex, was also picked up in the Best Cat Category.

Mr Zoghzoghi, a professional wildlife photographer from Beirut, Lebanon, received a cash prize of £500, a camera bag and a trophy.

He said: “Max and Alex form a lethally cute duo. I had more fun and surprises taking photos of these two characters, than during my most adventurous wildlife photography trips.

“As a wildlife photographer I never really considered sending photos to a pet competition until I discovered Comedy Pets. It’s witty, it’s fun and the photos are hilarious.

“I am extremely happy and proud to have won it as all the finalists were really outstanding and some of them made me laugh to tears."


Best Dog Category Winner: Barking (C) Chris Porsz/Comedy Pet Awards

UK amateur street photographer Chris Porsz’s entry ‘Barking’ took first place in the Best Dog Category, as well as being selected for the People’s Choice Award.

He said: “It is a great privilege to have been awarded this prestigious accolade amongst so many other great pictures. Thank you to the judges and to all those who voted in the people’s choice.”

 

Best All Other Creatures Category Winner: A First Outdoor Walk (C) Darya Zelentsova/Comedy Pets

 

The winner in the All Other Creatures category was Darya Zelentsova, originally from Kyiv, Ukraine, whose ferret Boudicca is pictured in her entry ‘The First Outdoor Walk'.

She said: “I’m so happy to see my lovely Boudicca among the winners. Ferrets almost never win anything in major international photo contests, and I’m glad to promote them as amazing pets and models.”

Tom Sullam, co-founder of the Comedy Pet Photo Awards said: “This is still a very young competition in the whole scheme of things, but within a few short years we are already receiving some of the most uplifting, life-affirming hilarious images of pets in the world! We couldn’t be more excited to share these with you all. 

“Pets have played a fundamental role during the covid years, and to be able to laugh out loud with these loveable creatures is the reason this competition exists!"

The competition will be open for 2024 entries next year on their website.

Scroll down to view more of the competition winners:

Junior Category Winner: Is it a seal or dog (C) Monyque Macedo Dos Santos/Comedy Pets


Pets who look like Owners Category Winner: The three Greys (C) Klaus Peter Selzer/Comedy Pets


Highly Commended: Keep your eye on the ball (C) Gill Woodcock/Comedy Pets


Highly Commended: Football free kick (C) Kenichi Morinaga/Comedy Pets


Highly Commended: The big Boss (C) Kenichi Morinaga/Comedy Pets

 

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Equine Disease Surveillance report released for Q4 2025

News Story 1
 The latest Equine Disease Surveillance report has been released, with details on equine disease from Q4 of 2025.

The report, produced by Equine Infectious Disease Surveillance, includes advice on rule changes for equine influenza vaccination.

Statistics and maps detail recent outbreaks of equine herpes virus, equine influenza, equine strangles and equine grass sickness. A series of laboratory reports provides data on virology, bacteriology, parasitology and toxicosis.

This issue also features a case study of orthoflavivus-associated neurological disease in a horse in the UK. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
NSA webinar explores sheep tailing and castration

The National Sheep Association (NSA) is to host a free webinar on the castration and tail docking of lambs.

The webinar, 'Understanding the tailing and castration consultation: A guide for sheep farmers', will be hosted online on Monday, 2 March 2026 at 7.30pm.

It comes during a government consultation into the methods used for these procedures. Farmers are encouraged to engage before the consultation period closes on Monday, 9 March 2026.

The webinar offers clear and actionable guidance to support farmers to contribute meaningfully to the consultation and prepare for potential changes.

On the panel will be former SVS president Kate Hovers, farmer and vet Ann Van Eetvelt and SRUC professor in Animal Health and Veterinary Sciences Cathy Dwyer. Each panel member will utilise their own specialism and expertise to evaluate risks and outcomes to sheep farming.

Find out more about the webinar on the NSA website.