LOS ANGELES, April 30, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — To celebrate National Pet Month, the Pet Lovers’ Choice Awards, the first nationally broadcast, fan-voted awards show celebrating America’s favorite pets, today announced the launch of its ‘Best in State’ Awards. The nationwide, state-by-state competition will recognize the top pet in each state and ultimately crown one ‘Best Pet in the Nation’ Award, presented by USA TODAY Pets, a national media partner of the Pet Lovers’ Choice Awards. The “Best Pet in the Nation” winner will receive a prize package including $10,000 and inclusion on USA TODAY Pets. Winners will be featured live on stage at the Pet Lovers’ Choice Awards, hosted by comedian Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias, in Los Angeles on Tuesday, June 23.
After generating more than 14,000 entries, 10 million votes and over $700,000 raised to help pets in shelters during its inaugural competition, the Pet Lovers’ Choice Awards is expanding with the ‘Best in State’ Awards, bringing the competition to the local level. Pet owners across all 50 states are invited to enter their cat or dog for a chance to be named their state’s top pet and advance to the national stage.
The awards will be conducted in two phases:
- ‘Best in State’ Awards: honoring one winning pet from each state
- ‘Best Pet in the Nation’ Award (presented by USA TODAY Pets): the 50 state winners competing for the national title
To enter the ‘Best in State’ Awards and view full competition details, visit petloverschoiceawards.com.
Winners are determined by public voting. Each paid vote directly supports the work of Best Friends Animal Society, a national nonprofit whose goal is to save the lives of dogs and cats in shelters.
ABOUT THE PET LOVERS’ CHOICE AWARDS
The Pet Lovers’ Choice Awards is the first fan-voted, national broadcast awards show celebrating America’s dogs and cats. The event honors the animals who make our lives better, while supporting pet lifesaving through Best Friends Animal Society. Follow us on social: Instagram @petloversawards, Facebook @thepetloverschoiceawards, TikTok @officialpetloversawards.
ABOUT BEST FRIENDS ANIMAL SOCIETY
Best Friends Animal Society is a leading animal welfare organization dedicated to saving the lives of dogs and cats in America’s shelters and making the entire country no-kill. Founded in 1984, Best Friends runs lifesaving facilities and programs nationwide in partnership with more than 6,000 shelters and rescue organizations. From our headquarters in Kanab, Utah, we also operate the nation’s largest no-kill animal sanctuary — a destination that brings our mission to life for thousands of visitors each year. We maintain the most comprehensive animal sheltering data in the country and make it accessible to the public — empowering communities with critical insights into the needs of their local shelters and how they can help. We believe every dog and cat deserves a home. And we believe that, by working together, we can Save Them All®.
ABOUT USA TODAY PETS
USA TODAY Pets is a platform for people who care deeply about their animals, offering trusted guidance, inspiration, and community for pet owners across the country. Part of the USA TODAY Network, USA TODAY Pets reaches millions of readers each month with audience-first coverage focused on the human–animal bond, responsible pet ownership, and the joy pets bring to everyday life. Visit us at: https://www.usatoday.com/pets-animals.
MEDIA CONTACTS
Pet Lovers’ Choice Awards
Media@PetLoversChoiceAwards.com
USA TODAY Pets
pr@usatodayco.com
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