The 2016 Pet Photo Contest is entering the home stretch and it looks like it’s going to be a dog and cat fight to the finish.

Cali the Cat is in the lead with 370 votes but several dogs are nipping at Cali’s heels. Bandit, a strong contender, is in second place with 305 votes and canines are also in third, fourth and fifth place, “for now,” said Donna Brockmann, contest chair.

“It’s any pet’s contest to win,” Brockman said. “And, historically, the voting is fast and furious the last few days of the competition. We expect a lot of votes to be cast on the last day, which is Sept. 30.”

There are 73 entries in the contest and the pet with the most votes will be featured on the cover of the Humane Society of Pike County’s 2016 Pet Photo Calendar. The 13 top finishers will be featured as pets of the month and others will be weekly features. All pets in the contest will be pictured on the calendar.

The Pet Photo Contest entries are on display at Troy Antiques and everyone is encouraged to stop by and choose their favorite pet and then vote for that pet. Votes are just one dollar. Funds raised are used primarily for the Humane Society of Pike County’s spay and neuter program, Brockman said.

“Some of the funds are also used for our feral cat program and for our ‘Friends in Need’ program,” she said. “So the money from the Pet Photo Contest is used to reduce the number of abandoned and abused animals in Pike County.

With the finish line in sight, the voting is picking up and Cali is just as determined to repeat as a Pet Photo Contest winner as other pets are determined that she will not.

Jo Ann Echols and Cali have been in the lead before and they know how hard it is to keep the lead until the finish line is crossed. But they have done it before so they can benefit from past experience.

But, Steve and Dale Stokes and Bandit are keeping pace. Four dogs in the top five is an indication that dog owners would like to tree the cats and take the cover of the 2016 Pet Photo Calendar.

Dr. Patricia Block’s Maya is running a close third but Brockman said the last week of voting and maybe the last day will decide who’s in the winners’ circles.

All pets vying for the cover spot are pictured on the humane society’s website.

Voting may be done on line at www.pikehumane.org or on site at Troy Antiques, Guynn’s Tax and Bookkeeping Service and The Little Framery in Troy or Jinright’s Hillside Antiques on Highway 231 south of Troy. Votes may be mailed to the Humane Society of Pike County, 100 Dogwood Springs Rd, Troy, AL 36081