Careful what you eat!

Man dies after bug-eating contest

A feast of cockroaches and worms was the last meal for the winner of a bug-eating contest.

Edward Archbold, 32, of West Palm Beach, was "the life of the party," stuffing handfuls of insects into his mouth with about 30 other contestants vying for the grand prize of an $800 python at the Ben Siegel Reptile Store, Broward Sheriff's investigators said.

Shortly after the contest was over, Archbold wasn't feeling well and began to regurgitate. He collapsed outside the store and later died at a hospital, investigators said.

Source

Do you have a favorite cat story?

From now until July 31, you can participate in the Purina Cat Chow Real Stories Project Contest by submitting your cat relationship story at www.yourcatstory.com. Five grand prize winners will each receive a $5,000 cash prize, a one year supply of Purina^® Cat Chow^® brand cat food for one cat, and have their cat relationship story told through a Purina Cat Chow brand online video. The winners’ videos will be shared online with the Purina Cat Chow Community on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.

The Purina Cat Chow Real Stories Project is looking for stories about the comfort, support, friendship and connection that describe the cat-owner relationship – from head butt greetings-at-the-door moments to the way she wakes you up in the morning. People may also submit their story at www.facebook.com/purinacatchow or www.youtube.com/purinacatchow.

Vote for a cute puppy

Our friend Brandon has entered his puppy's photo in a contest.

If you think his puppy is C-U-T-E, please vote

Win a $450 Litterbox from Modernist Cat!

We're all used to scooping poop. But who says the box you scoop it from has to be boring? Modernist Cat wants to revolutionize the way you think about your cat's litterbox by putting it inside a beautiful handmade cabinet.

Crystal Gregory of Modernist Cat has been taking the litterbox to the next level since 2009. And she's giving Catster readers the chance to take home the model her celebrity clients are nuts for.

You could win one of Modern Cat's hideaway boxes -- a $450 value!

Visit Catster and Check out their giveaway »

Can a pigeon be a champion?

Founded in 1920, the National Pigeon Association is an all-breeds pigeon club with an International membership. Encompassing all varieties of domesticated pigeons, the NPA promotes, educates, and acknowledges the efforts of fanciers in the continued development and care of our "favorite feathered friends!" Yes, a pigeon CAN be a champion, because the NPA holds a yearly exhibition to select the best of the best. The NPA 2010 Grand National was held in Salt Lake City Utah. There were 3,721 entries representing 26 breeds. Exhibitors came from every state in the USA and Canada. These pigeons are NOT your average scavengers, you know. Twisted Sifter, in "Bizarre Gallery of Grand National Champion… Pigeons!?!" has collected 30 photos of some of the winners from the Grand Nationals. Below are a couple of my favorites.

Pets on Furniture

Modernica Furniture has been conducting an on-line contest showcasing pets on furniture. I'm not sure if the contest is still open or not for more entries, but you can still vote on the ones already posted. Here are some of my favorites: (Thanks, Cherie)

Winter Pet Safety

What a great idea! Morton® Safe-T-Pet™ Ice Melt was developed with veterinarians to be safer for your furry friends. It's completely salt and chloride free - so it won't irritate pets' paws or stomachs. Morton® Safe-T-PetT Ice Melt is also non-toxic, and it won't irritate skin, so it's better for people and plants, as well as paved surfaces. Pet and people friendly: Veterinarian approved, chloride-free, non-toxic Safer for environment: Better for plants and concrete than regular salt Easy to see: Colored pellets provide clear visibility *** To celebrate Morton Salt’s new Facebook Fan Page, they have launched a contest, “What’s Your Morton Salt Secret?” They’re looking for readers to share a photo of their best nifty tip, trick or use of Morton Salt. The grand prize winner will receive a $1,000 AMEX gift card and a Morton Salt prize pack. Morton Salt will also be awarding four Runner-up winners and six Sweepstakes winners with prize packs!

You can enter the contest here

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Great Animal Portraits

20 Great Animal Portraits: A Sneak Peek at PDN Faces Photo by Michael C. Rathsam: “Captured during photo shoot of one of the sweetest dogs I’ve ever met.” PDN is conducting their second annual Faces contest, seeking today’s best portrait photographs. This is a sneak peek at some early entries in the Animal Portraits category. These are not the winners of the Faces Contest. These are a few early favorites based on popular votes on the People’s Choice page. There’s still more great work being entered in Animal Portraits and the three other categories: Celebrity/Editorial Portraits (studio), Environmental Portraiture and Self-Portraits. The contest remains open for entries until April 7, 2009. Select winners will be exhibited at the PDN PhotoPlus International Expo from October 23 to 25, 2009 in New York City, and a winner’s gallery will appear in the December issue of PDN. To see more People’s Choice entries, or to enter the contest yourself, visit the PDN Faces portrait photo contest.

Do you have a funny pet photo?

Diane at Fetching Dog Collars blog is running a Funny Pet Photo Contest. Everyone who submits a funny pet photo will be entered to win one of NINE great prizes, including 3 customized pet tags, 3 dog collars, 1 batch of pet treats, a hand-painted leash hook and a gift certificate! The contest runs from March 10 to April 10, 2009. Please go to www.fetchingdogcollars.com/blog to view all the prizes and details! Photo by Julie Corsi

Poor Ugly Chomper Needs a Home

For the 14th year, dogs lined up in the San Diego suburb of Del Mar for the Ugliest Dog contest. This year's winner is a 4-year-old Boxer mix named Chomper with a bit of a drooling problem. Now that Chomper has won the Ugliest Dog contest, organizers are hoping he will catch the eye of a loving owner who will take him into their home. Source

Bulldog Beauties

Thanks, Tom Andrews, photographer extraordinaire, for letting me know about the Long Beach Bulldog Beauty Contest. The contestants were all extremely attractive ... THE BULLDOG BEAUTY CONTEST was the main event at this year's Haute Dog Pageants produced by beauty pageant and bulldog enthusiast Justin Rudd. In addition to the Bulldog and French Bulldog contests, Rudd included pageants for Pugs and Senior Dogs this year for the first time. Contestants ranging in age from four months to 17 years traveled to Long Beach, Calif., from as far as northern California, Las Vegas, and Arizona, to compete for the coveted 2009 titles.

Lots of Rats!

After disposing of 39,650 rodents, a man from Bangladesh has been crowned a rat-killing champion and has been awarded a 14-inch Sony color television for his efforts. It took Binoy Kumar Karmakara one year to perform the daunting task and he used traps, poison and flooding to capture the animals. He also kept their tails so that he could keep count. Killing rats is a strategy that was launched by the government of Bangladesh because rats are responsible for the loss of about 10% of the country’s crops. Source

Cute contest: cat in box

Does your cat like boxes? What cat doesn't? Unica Home is running a "Cat in Box" photo contest. Just email a photo of your cat in a box and you could win one of the cute cat playhouses pictured to the left. The rules: cat must be alive, not drugged, not unconscious, and willing to be in their box ... The playhouses sound great - I think my cats might like one: "made from folded cardboard and flat packed, the cat playhouses will provide endless hours of enjoyment for your cat. help them achieve their dreams of being a pilot, fireman, or even tank commander! cat not included. some assembly required (unless your cat is flat)"

Win a free movie!

"Life on a Leash" is about Stella - she has a new job, a new car, and the perfect apartment. But something's missing - other people. Enter Kong, a giant brown-and-black stray dog who shows up when Stella is changing a flat tire. Suddenly her life is being pulled into the world of dogs and the oddball crowd that lives with four-legged friends. She enjoys the companionship and the community but keeps pulling back as Kong literally drags her out of her shell. (imdb) Jan, at the Poodle and Dog Blog, will give away the copy she received from the producers, and we'll add the one I received for the Pet Blog, so now two lucky people can get a free copy of this DVD. All you have to do is visit : Jan's post, Win a free dog movie, and in the "Comments", state the name and breed(s) of the dog who had the most influence on your life. That’s it.

Winner will be chosen by random drawing.

Contest closes January 17.

Wanted: Your Bloopers

Hallmark is holding an open call for everyone’s funniest photos – can be anything from pets, kids, family members, to an embarrassing moment caught at the right time, you name it – along with a corresponding “birthday” greeting. These photos and the greetings will be judged, and the finalists will be turned into actual Hallmark cards. Sixty finalists' cards will be printed and sold to the public both at hallmark.com and in stores. Finalists also will win $250 cash and become part of Hallmark’s new “top-secret humor card” review panel. One grand prize winner will win $2,500 and their card will become part of Hallmark's regular humor line! Here’s the link to the contest page where the photos and greetings can be uploaded: http://www.hallmarkcontests.com/bloopers/index.cfm. ~ Thanks, Jon Photo credit: Julie Corsi

Muddy Buddy Contest

Do you have a muddy buddy? Your pet could be the next Lee's Carpet spokespet! If you think your pet has what it takes to represent the Lees brand, known for its exceptional durability, incredible stain repellency and 25-year wear warranty, submit a picture of your pet at his or her messiest. Entries will be accepted from May 1, 2008 until June 15, 2008. Starting on June 18, 2008 we will have five finalists online for voting. Be sure to check back and make sure your favorite Muddiest Buddy wins!

Click Here to Enter Your Pet Now!

The winning pet-owner will receive $5,000 worth of new Lees carpet and a year’s supply of Purina® brand pet food. Four runners-up will receive $250 Gift Certificates to Carpet One Floor & Home. For every qualified entry, one dollar will be donated to Delta Society. Photo: Girlinprogress

Does your pet watch TV?

Submit a photo of your pet watching TV to All American Dish and have a chance to win a Toshiba 32" 720p LCD HD TV.

To submit an entry:

• Take a photo of your pet watching TV.
• Visit http://www.allamericandish.com/funandgames/contest.php to upload your photo.
• Only one entry per household per month.

Because the women are covered

Ten thousand camels will be fluttering their long eyelashes in a unique international beauty pageant being held in the United Arab Emirates. The contest in Abu Dhabi is one of the richest and biggest events of its kind, with more than $9m and 100 cars in prizes up for grabs. A panel of expert camel appreciators will choose the best animals for each age group. Entry is open to anyone who can prove ownership of a pedigree camel, and the animals must be free from contagious diseases, and without any serious defects. Source: BBC News

The Westminster Kennel Club 132nd Annual Dog Show

The Westminster Kennel Club 132nd Annual Dog Show opens today at Madison Square Garden in New York. In the Dog Show World, this is like the Kentucky Derby, the Indianapolis 500, the Academy Awards, Time's Man of the Year or the Boston Marathon. Out of 2,500 entries, one dog will be named Best in Show. Four new breeds, recently recognized by the American Kennel Club, are making their debuts at Westminster in 2008. They are the Plott hound, the Tibetan Mastiff, the Beauceron, and the Swedish Vallhund.

Earrings for dogs?

If I had a dog, which I don't, and if I were totally goofy, which I'm not, and if I were to get my dog's ears pierced, which I wouldn't, I would select these 1 carat total weight diamond stud earrings from Goldsmith Jewelry. On the other hand, just by blogging about these earrings I might win them and wear them myself. (via)