A brown and white bulldog called Mabel lying on a yellow blanket on a grey sofa. She's holding a soft toy reindeer in her paws and she looks very happy.

Paws to Draw – dogs

Enter the Paws to Draw competition and help raise awareness of homeless pets.

Have fun and help animals!

Two Blue Cross logos. The top logo is blue and white and reads: Paws to Draw competition. The bottom logo is a blue and white roundel and reads: Blue Cross 20 years pet welfare education.

Paws to Draw is a fun way for both children and adults to get creative, and it’s a brilliant way to help them understand the vital role we play in pets’ lives. It’s something our education team has been dedicated to for the last 20 years, inspiring future generations of pet owners, because pets are happier and healthier when they’re with people who love them.

Whether you love dogs, cats, horses or small pets, this is a chance to have fun, get creative, and raise awareness of pet homelessness.

How to enter

1. Choose Your Inspiration

Take a look through the pictures below to see which dog you or your child would like to draw.

You don’t need to personally know a pet that's been rehomed by Blue Cross to enter. We’ll show you a selection of pets we’ve helped in recent years below, and you can choose one of their photos to inspire your drawing.

2. Get Creative!

Draw or paint your chosen pet on an A4 piece of paper. You can print out our entry sheet to draw on, but this is optional.

3. Submit Your Drawing

When you are ready to send us your drawing, revisit this page and click the ‘enter now’ button below. This will open up an email addressed to us.

In the body of the email, please provide us with the first name and age of the person who has created the picture, along with which region* the entry is from and the name of the pet drawn.

Attach a photo of the drawing to the email ensuring you have followed the submission requirements listed below, as well as the Terms and Conditions.

Remember to check that you are emailing us using the same email address you used to register your interest via our website form, and finally, hit send!

Enter now

* North England, South England, The Midlands, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland or The Channel Islands

Important

By entering the Paws to Draw competition, you are confirming that you are over the age of 18. Any person under 18, who wishes to participate, must ensure they have been granted permission by a parent, guardian, or legally responsible adult who is happy to submit their entry on their behalf.

Submission requirements

  • Be drawn on an A4 piece of paper
  • Drawing must be inspired by one of the pets displayed on this page or one of the other Paws to Draw pet pages (cats, horses, small pets)
  • Please ensure you send the entry to us from the same email address you used to register you interest in this competition
  • A clear, high-quality photo of the drawing must be taken from above (a bird’s eye view). Please ensure the whole drawing is visible and is not cropped in any way.
  • The photo must be in a .jpeg image file format
  • The jpeg image should be no larger than 500KB

Read our Paws to Draw FAQs

Download our Paws to Draw entry sheet

Dogs rehomed by Blue Cross

Draw a picture inspired by a dog that has been rehomed by Blue Cross.

Mabel

A brown and shite staffie called Mabel sitting on the grass, looking into the camera

Mabel was found outside one of our rehoming centres with a bag of her belongings and a note from her owner that stated they couldn't afford to care for her.

The incredibly brave decision to place Mabel in our care was heartbreaking, but before long, she met her new family, who promised to provide the life that her previous owner had wanted for Mabel.

Brandy

A chocolate coloured springer spaniel sits on the grass wearing a Blue Cross collar and harness. He is panting and his tongue is drooping to the left.

After working incredibly hard on his training to prevent him from chasing cyclists, joggers and children, Brandy’s owners bravely brought him to Blue Cross when they realised that city life wasn't suitable for the spaniel.

Now, in a bigger space, Brandy is happy with a family that are able to continue his training.

Paws to Draw judging panel

Former professional football goalkeeper David James standing in football gear in a field, posing for the camera.

We're excited to share that former England goalkeeper, devoted pet lover and keen artist David James will be joining our judging panel to help select the winners.

"Paws to Draw combines two of my favourite things – animals and drawing – so I think it is a great way for people to get creative this summer and perhaps even uncover a hidden talent they never knew they had! I have three cats of my own and I’ve always been a big fan of the work that Blue Cross does, so I’m looking forward to seeing all the different drawings that celebrate the amazing pets who’ve found their second chance thanks to the charity.” – David James

Take inspiration from other Blue Cross pets