WINNERS OF THE ANIMAL FRIENDS COMEDY PETS 2022

The Comedy Pet Photo Awards have revealed the winners of this year's competition.

The OVERALL COMPETITION WINNER is Kenichi Morinaga with his brilliant photo of two cats sitting on a fence cheek to cheek or neck and neck!

This image went up against two thousand funny pet entries to win the top title.

OVERALL WINNER & Cat Category: 'Boom Boom' by Kenichi Morinaga

IMAGE: Cats are bumped on the wall suddenly. It was like a cartoon bumped boom boom. Such a funny moment. Says Kenichi from Japan. Photograph: Kenichi Morinaga/Animal Friends Comedy Pets

The competition has called on all pet and animal lovers to submit hilarious images and videos of their funny furry friends for a chance of winning the prestigious title of Comedy Pet Photographer of the Year and £2,000 cash prize, plus a £5,000 donation from Animal Friends Pet Insurance to go towards an animal welfare or conservation charity of the winners choice.

Kenichi, the winner, is a photographer from Japan who loves to visit the small islands around the country, taking shots of the street cats that he finds there.

His passion started when he got his own pet cat and first visited Europe as a backpacker.

This amazing competition reminded me that such gestures from all animals are recognised as being hilarious, cute, and heart-warming not only in Japan but all over the world.” Says Kenichi.

The funny pet competition was created by Paul Joynson-Hicks and Tom Sullam in 2015 and later joined by Michelle Woods to celebrate the positive and vital role that pets have in our lives and to encourage engagement around animal welfare.

It started with the Comedy Wildlife Pictures. They have now has included Pet comedy photo competitions too. 

Along with Kenichi Morinaga, the Overall winner of the competition, Here are the rest of the winning entries.

Dog Category: 'Nilo's Love For Water' by Jose Bayon.

IMAGE: Nilo is an adopted puppy about 10 months old. He was hit by a car and was barely saved. Now recovered, he has just discovered water for the first time. His capers and pirouettes show his passion for water. Love at first sight. Photograph: Jose Bayon/Animal Friends Comedy Pets (Spain)

Horse Category: 'Happy Horses' by Radim Filipek

IMAGE: Happy mother and her 3 day old son Monty. Photograph: Radim Filipek/Animal Friends Comedy Pets (Czech Republic)

All Other Creatures Category: 'Smokin Alpaca' by Stefan Brusius

IMAGE: He looks like he is smoking a cigar. Photograph: Stefan Brusius/Animal Friends Comedy Pets (Alpaca, Germany)

Pets Who Look Most Like Their Owner's Category: 'Dave and Dudley' by Judy Nussenblatt

IMAGE: 'This is my friend, David, and his dog Dudley. During the early days of Covid, David and I took advantage of a beautiful day and we were out shooting pictures. Dudley was so excited when we got back that he threw his front paws around David's shoulders and I snapped this picture. They both look like they could use a good haircut, but it was Covid....so who cares...'Photograph: Judy Nussenblatt/Animal Friends Comedy Pets (USA)

Junior Category: Jack the Cat stuck in the hedge by Freya Sharpe

IMAGE: 'Freya absolutely loves animals and has such a good bond with Jack. I know that she will be ecstatic about winning the Junior category of the competition.
'Jack is a real character and gives us lots of laughs!We had gone out for the day and came home to find our kitten Jack had got stuck in the hedge!'Photograph: Freya Sharpe/Animal Friends Comedy Pets (Loughborough, UK)

Video Category: Dive Bombed by Fiona Helme

'This is Rosie watching a nature programme. I've told her numerous times not to sit too close to the telly and on this day she got her comeuppance.
'Here she is fascinated, watching and listening to the sounds of the birds. All of a sudden she sees an owl 'fly out of the screen' and dive bomb her! Thankfully she got away in the nick of time!' Credit: Fiona Helme/Animal Friends Comedy Pets (UK)

People's Choice Award: Dashing through the snow by Marko Jovanovic

IMAGE: 'Carter was on a Euth list in California. We flew from Chicago to Cali rescue him. This was his first time experiencing snow. As you can see he could believe was missing out on all these years!' Photograph: Marko Jovanovic/Animal Friends Comedy Pets (USA)

Comedy Pet Team Favourite: 'Chauffeur Dog' by Mehmet Aslan

IMAGE: 'This is what I saw when I stopped at the traffic lights. At first I thought the dog was really driving!' Photograph: Mehmet Aslam/Animal Friends Comedy Pets (Turkey)

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED WINNERS: Purr-etty Pleeeaase! by Sarah Fiona Helme

IMAGE: 'Rosie was helping me in the greenhouse and decided to try, in her most engaging way, (and with the help of the wheelbarrow to stand on), to persuade me into giving her some of her favourite treats, which, being a lowly cat servant with no willpower, I did!' Photograph: Fiona Helme/Animal Friends Comedy Pets (UK)

'OMG, what is that' by Beth Noble

IMAGE: 'CK shows his surprised face.' Photograph: Beth Noble/Animal Friends Comedy Pets (UK)

'Werewolf 2.0' by Karl Goldhamer

IMAGE: 'Even a werewolf needs to relax sometimes...' Photograph: Karl Goldhamer/Animal Friends Comedy Pets (Germany)

'Too desperate' by Kazutoshi ONO

IMAGE: 'She is my lovely kitty that is rescued from my local cat care facility. This is just a door continued to a corridor. Sometimes she jumps up and holds a door so that maybe she is too desperate to go out.' Photograph: Kantoshi Ono/Animal Friends Comedy Pets (Japan)

'Mine, not yours!' by Lucy Sellors-Duval

IMAGE: 'Benji was determined to be the one to get all the yummy treats during his photo shoot even if it meant stopping his older brother Doug.' Photograph: Lucy Sellors-Duval/Animal Friends Comedy Pets (Plymouth, UK)

'Grandmistress Candy' by Jonathan Casey

IMAGE: 'Cat playing chess.' Photograph: Lucy Jonathan Casey/Animal Friends Comedy Pets (Wymondham, UK)

'Now, how do I upload my pics?' by Kenichi Morinaga

IMAGE: 'I gotta smart phone so I want to upload my pics for my SNS. But I don't know how to use it. Please someone tell me how to use it.' Photograph: Kenichi Morinaga/Animal Friends Comedy Pets (Japan)

'Revenge of the Tennis Ball' by Christopher Johnson

IMAGE: 'This is Star playing in the snow in a local field and getting surprised by a passing tennis ball.' Photograph: Christopher Johnson/Animal Friends Comedy Pets (UK)

Published with thanks to Paul, Tom and Michelle, Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards.

Photographs curated by Rajesh Karkera/Rediff.com
Feature Presentation: Rajesh Alva/Rediff.com