Paws to Draw: Frequently asked questions
Here's the answers to all of your questions about the Paws to Draw competition.
How do I enter?
1. Visit our website and register your interest
Head to our Paws to Draw competition page. To take part, please complete the form with your details to find out more.
2. Check your inbox
We’ll email you with more information.
3. Choose your inspiration
Take a look through these pages to see which pet you or your child would like to draw. Choose from cats, dogs, horses or small pets. You're welcome to explore them all!
Remember to bookmark the page displaying the pet you’ve chosen to draw. You’ll need to revisit this page when it’s time to submit your drawing!
4. Get creative!
Draw or paint your chosen pet on an A4 piece of paper. If you like, you can print out our entry sheet to draw on, but this is optional.
5. Submit your drawing
- When you're ready to send us your drawing, please revisit the page that displays the pet you’ve drawn. Click the ‘enter now’ button. This will open an email addressed to us.
- In the body of the email, please provide the artist’s first name, age, the region the entry is from and the name of the pet that has been drawn
- Attach a photo of the drawing to the email ensuring you have followed the submission requirements listed below
- Check that you are emailing us using the same e-mail address you used to register your interest via our website form
- Hit send!
What are the submission requirements?
Please see our submission requirements below. Please follow these instructions precisely to ensure your entry is valid:
- Please draw/paint on an A4 piece of paper. You can print out our entry sheet above to draw on, but this is optional.
- Once you’re finished – please ensure you keep the original drawing somewhere safe
- To enter, take a photo of your drawing from above (a bird’s eye view) ready to send into us
- The photo should be in a .jpeg file format
- The jpeg should be no larger than 500KB
- Please ensure you adhere to the file format and size limitation in order for your entry to be valid
Can I submit a digital drawing?
Yes, you can. However, the digital drawing must be created by you using your preferred program, e.g. Adobe Fresco. We will not accept any drawings that have been created by AI or any form of artificial image generation.
Do I need to know a pet that has been rehomed by Blue Cross to enter?
No, you don’t need to have known a pet that has been rehomed by Blue Cross to enter. We’ll show you a selection of pets we’ve helped in recent years, and you can choose one of their photos to inspire your drawing.
Anyone can enter – it doesn’t matter if you don't personally know anyone who has rehomed a pet through us or known of a pet we have helped to rehome previously.
Is this competition open to all ages?
Yes, anyone can enter! But anyone under the age of 18 must ensure they have permission from their parent/guardian.
The parent/guardian must fill in this form to register interest in the competition and follow the entry instructions and requirements to submit the minor’s drawing on their behalf.
When does the competition close?
The competition will close on Friday 30 May. Entries will be accepted up to 11:59pm on that date.
Can I enter via social media?
No. Please do not upload your entry to social media – this includes commenting with an image on a Blue Cross social media post or tagging us in a story or main feed post. Any entries submitted this way will not be accepted.
To ensure your entry is valid, please adhere to the instructions and requirements listed above.
What information do I need to share when submitting my entry?
When sending us an entry (drawing), you must also provide the first name and age of the person who created the drawing and state which region from the below list the entry is from. You must also include the name of the pet that has been drawn.
Can I enter if I live outside of the UK?
No. Please note this competition is only open to residents living in the following UK regions: North England, South England, The Midlands, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and The Channel Islands.
How many winners will be selected?
A winner will be selected from each of the above regions, giving a total of seven regional winners. One of these winners will be selected as the overall competition winner.
When will the winners be notified?
All seven regional winners (including the overall competition winner) will be notified by Friday 20 June 2025. They will be contacted by Blue Cross via the e-mail address they provided upon entry.
What is the competition prize?
All seven regional winners will have their drawings displayed via our website and social media channels in July 2025.
The overall competition winner will have their drawing displayed in a national UK press title.
Can I enter more than once?
No. We will only accept one entry (drawing) of one pet, per person.
Multiple family members/children would like to enter. Is this possible?
If multiple people from the same household would like to enter, you must send all of their entries (drawings) to us in one email for them to be valid.
Joint submissions (where two or more people create the drawing) are not allowed.
Can I draw more than one pet?
We kindly ask that the drawing is inspired by one of the pets shown on these pages: dogs, cats, horses, small pets. We will only accept one entry (drawing) per person.
Do I have to be good at art to enter?
Paws to Draw is a drawing competition designed to raise awareness of pet homelessness across the UK. This competition is open to everyone, no matter your experience with drawing or art.
Whether you're a doodler, a daydreamer, or a seasoned sketcher, this is all about having fun with art while supporting a great cause.
How will the drawings be judged?
Members of the Blue Cross team will be reviewing all drawings after the competition closes.
Please note the judging panel’s decision is final, and no correspondence will be entered into.
Jan the rabbit is pictured on her own – but aren’t rabbits usually rehomed in pairs?
The lovely Jan came to Blue Cross on her own but after a health check by our vets, our rehoming team found her a wonderful new home with a family who already had a friendly male rabbit companion waiting to meet her.
It’s important that rabbits live with at least one other rabbit at all times, so they feel safe. Although rabbits can enjoy spending time with people, our company alone cannot meet their social needs, so it is essential that they have the opportunity to bond with another rabbit for companionship.
Is it insensitive to refer to this as a ‘pet homelessness emergency’ when homelessness is a serious issue affecting people?
We understand that the word "homelessness" is often associated with human experiences, and we use it with care. However, we believe it is an important term to highlight the crisis facing pets today. Many pets are losing their homes through no fault of their own, often due to financial hardship, housing insecurity, or personal circumstances beyond their owners’ control.
By using the term "pet homelessness emergency," we aim to draw attention to the urgency of the situation and the heartbreaking reality that thousands of pets are at risk of being given up or left without the care they need. Our focus remains on supporting both pets and people, helping to keep families together where possible and ensuring pets find safe and loving homes when this is not possible.