I didn’t really plan to do my caption contest for so long, but here I am a year (and one month!) later with 13 silly and cute animal photos made even sillier and cuter by your awesome captions!

I figured you would get a kick out of seeing these again and I wanted to share some of the stories behind my pet photography. Kitties, and doggies, and birdies oh my!

This is my cat George. He loves all things shiny, but he is particularly attracted to bottle caps. Whenever he hears the hiss of a freshly opened bottle he comes running, and you better throw that bottle cap so he can chase it. Then he will grab it, carry it right into the bathroom, into the tub, and proceed to bat that thing around until his paws get tired. I call it kitty air hockey. Anyway, I caught him in the tub one day and got this photo.

This is Amiga, a Blue and Gold Macaw at Wilton Parrot Rescue. This was the first day I started volunteering my photography to animal rescues. The founder of Wilton Parrot, Liz, was telling me how Amiga had this really silly habit of scratching her head. “I wish she would do it,” Liz said as she walked away. Not 5 minutes later Amiga was doing it! She was quite an animated character and I’m happy to report that she has just recently been adopted! Go Amiga!!!

I was taking some before and after photos Shay’s beautiful work at Flawless Paws Grooming salon.  Gizmo had just been beautified and Shay asked me if I wouldn’t mind trying to capture her Great Dane next to the little Pekingese. Well it didn’t end up being a best friends type of portrait,  but Gizmo sure did show this boy who’s boss haha!

This is Caesar, one of the first few dogs I photographed at Pets Alive in Middletown. He was the only one I could get to even look at this ball. Who would have thought he would be giving it the nah-nah nah-nah tongue? He really made me laugh. Caesar has long since found his forever home =).

Tracey, a wonderful volunteer at Pets Alive in Middletown, brought her foster puppies to the facility for the first time ever to show them off to potential adopters. This is Randy, one of six pibble puppies. I tried to wake him up, believe me! Finally I gave up, and Anna, one of Pets Alive’s youngest volunteers, decided the toy would make a cute prop and popped it in between his paws. I’ll have to hire her as a my stylist when she’s all grown up!

Rajah is one of the most tolerant cats I’ve ever met. I got several santa hat shots of this boy, but this was the best choice for a square crop. I tried to dress up my cats, George and Callie, with this hat and an elf hat and they were just not having it! Yes he is definitely glaring at me in this photo… I’m pretty sure I woke him up :-O

Treats are my main source of attention grabbing for dogs, but sometimes a treat turns into a prop and a tool for getting silly shots of cross-eyed German Shepherd puppies. Kodiak had had enough sitting and staying in his little ADD, 4-month old body and he was ready to get the reward he so rightfully deserved. NOM!

These are my 3 all time favorite birds from Wilton Parrot Rescue. They were around the first time I visited the rescue, and they were adopted soon after. Then, a few months later, they were returned. I couldn’t believe it, I don’t even remember the reason, but I remember feeling so lucky that I would get to hang with them again! From left to right this is Baby, Applejack, and Petrie, the friendliest trio of parrots I ever had the opportunity to meet. In fact, they were so friendly that I had to constantly stop to pick them up and catch them because they kept flying to me when I would back away. Of course they found a home before I got a chance to return.

Kuna, now known as June in her wonderful forever home, was being an awesome Valentine’s Day model the day I photographed this. She was posing with hearts, X’s and O’s, and little pink pillows with lovey dovey phrases embroidered on them. She had had enough probably 20 shots before I caught her yawning on camera. I can’t help it, I just want to capture every moment I can with my foster babies. This caption was a perfect match for this photo.

Shadow was my 1st foster kitten. He was with us for about  6 weeks, and he was one of the hardest fosters to let go of. It’s just so different when you know your foster is going into a great home; in Shadow’s case he didn’t get adopted while I had him, so once he was big enough to be neutered, back to the shelter he went. I don’t know for sure how long it took for him to get adopted, but I do know that kittens go fast. This little munchkin was literally my shadow. He would climb up my jeans just to be closer to me, crawl into my lap, and take a nap. He was my baby :*)

I have no idea what this boy’s name is, but I do remember that every time he was in the ring at Stockade Agility he was barking his head off at his dad. He sure did run like the wind though! This was a true outtake that I didn’t see until much later, when I was processing images. This was the caption that made me laugh the most this year, so thanks Debbie!

Little Munchie was hanging with his mom at Benmarl Winery during Woof N Wine this past April. He was such a well behaved little guy. Thanks for posing for me Munchie!

Riley was on a walk with one of the volunteers at Pets Alive West the first day I was there. There were so many volunteers walking dogs that day that I hopped from dog to dog the whole time I was there. This big fluffy teddy bear is still up for adoption, if you want to find out more or fill out an adoption application you can do it on his Petfinder Profile. (UPDATE – Riley was adopted!!!)