International Pet Photography Awards 2025 Winners Will Make You Adopt a Pet Right Now

From mischievous bunnies to photogenic snakes, the 2025 International Pet Photography Awards has once again celebrated our beloved companions in the most touching and artistic way. With over 4,000 entries from 45 countries, this year’s contest wasn’t just a showcase of technical brilliance – it was a global love letter to pets in all their quirky, loyal, and often really funny glory.

Now in its seventh year, the International Pet Photography Awards reached new heights with 4,011 entries across eight unique categories. Interestingly, and probably expected, dogs dominated the submissions (3,232 of them, to be exact). However, judges also admired portraits of cats, horses, and a delightful variety of other pets, which found their place among winners and finalists of the contest. These include rabbits, parrots, snakes, lizards, cows, and even a few unicorns!

The contest is supported by Unleashed Education, known for mentoring pet photographers, and the Professional Photography Business Network, which helps artists thrive in their businesses.

Meet The Pet Photographer of the Year 2025: Katie Brockman

The Pet Photographer of the Year 2025 is Katie Brockman, whose portfolio stood out for its creativity and emotional depth. Her winning series featured her loyal dog, Caldwell, alongside several rescue animals she once fostered.

“All the other animals are my former foster pets,” Brockman shared. “One of my goals by entering these images was to show that rescue animals can not only make loving family members, but fantastic models, too.” Being a proud human of an adopted cat, I couldn’t agree more. She is an absolute treasure!

What I find particularly interesting is that Katie primarily took her photos in-camera, showcasing her creativity and skill. Some of her images also won the Creative category, and, apparently, she created them using some Photoshop skills along with photographic ones. And she did it with equal mastery, creativity, and devotion. Her win includes a $500 cash prize, a trophy, and mentoring with Unleashed Education and the Professional Photography Business Network.

International Pet Photography Awards Category Highlights

This year, the International Pet Photography Awards introduced a new category: Open Portrait. It celebrates less traditional pets, and the inaugural winner is Ellen Reus. She stunned the judges with elegant studio portraits of snakes.

“I really love photographing snakes,” she said. “They’re incredibly photogenic!”

In the Documentary category, Emma Boyle transported us to the streets of Istanbul. Her images poignantly captured the harmonious coexistence between humans and stray cats and dogs in Turkey’s bustling capital.

“I attempted to demonstrate this co-existence… the strays living amongst the people,” said Emma, who has photographed street animals in Turkey, Cyprus, and Egypt.

Other category winners included:

• Action – Shandess Griffin
• Canine Portrait – Janneke De Graaf
• Creative – Katie Brockman
• Equine Portrait – Renate Zuidema
• Feline Portrait – Mirka Koot
• Pets and People – Petra Nestelbacher

Each category winner received $250, a trophy, and access to leading photography education resources.

Why International Pet Photography Awards Matter

In a world that feels chaotic more than ever, the International Pet Photography Awards remind us of the quiet, powerful joy pets bring into our lives. These photos don’t just depict animals. They capture friendships, healing, laughter, and love. And for many of the photographers, including this year’s winners, these animals aren’t just subjects. They’re family.

We bring you the category winners below, and make sure to head over to the contest website to check out the complete gallery of winners, runner-ups, and top 100 images. Let the 2025 winners inspire you, either to pick up your camera and show the world the beauty of your own pet, or to adopt one if you don’t have a pet. My kitty and I wholeheartedly support you in both ventures. :)

Action

Canine Portrait

Creative

Equine Portrait

Feline Portrait

Pets and People

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