Come on dog lovers!

What’s wrong with y’all?

A cat’s in the lead in the 2013 Pet Photo Contest and could run away with it if the dogs don’t get hot on the trail.

Lisa Howard, chair of the Humane Society of Alabama’s annual Pet Photo Contest said cats always have the meow on the contest, leaving her to wonder, “Where are the dog lovers?”

“Cats seem to run away with the contest each year and we hoping to see the dogs challenge for the cover shot on our 2013 Pet Photo Calendar,” she said. “Voting ends on Sept. 28 and the voting is always heavy during the last week of the contest and any pet could be the winner.”

The pet with the most votes will be featured on the cover of the 2013 Pet Photo Calendar and the 13 runners up will be the featured pets of the month.

“We’ll also feature four weekly winners each month so there are a lot of opportunities for pets to be showcased on the calendar,” Howard said.

The photos of the 82 entries in the Pet Photo Contest are displayed in the window of Troy Antiques on the square in downtown Troy.

“We encourage everyone to stop by Troy Antiques and select a pet or pets they would like to see featured on the calendar and then cast their votes,” Howard said.

Votes are $1 each and may be cast at Troy Antiques, Guynn’s Income Tax and Bookkeeping Service, The Little Framery and Jinright’s Hillside Antiques or mailed to Pet Photo Contest, P.O. Box 296, Troy, AL 36081 and postmarked by Sept. 28.

“A vote not only helps your favorite pet be featured on the calendar, it also supports the Humane Society of Pike County’s fundraising efforts,” Howard said.

The humane society offers a spay and neuter program twice a year that pays from $40 to $50 on procedures done at local veterinarian offices.

“We have a feral cat program that pays for the spaying and neutering of stray animals,” Howard said. “We have a family-in-need program that provides assistance to families that, because of unforeseen circumstances, are having difficulty in caring for their pets.

And, we work with the 4-H clubs to offer an in-school educational program to teach students about the importance of having pets spayed and neutered and how to take care of their pets.”

Howard said the Pet Photo Contest is the Humane Society of Pike County’s largest fund-raiser and it’s also a way to honor and recognize the companion animals that are such a loving part of so many families.