You have just a week to vote in the 2026 RSPCA Young Photographer People’s Choice Award.

Making a splash: this spaniel was captured in full flow by Zoe Beales from West Sussex

Voting has opened today, with 15 funny and fascinating images vying for the top prize.

Voting opens from 12.30pm – and the winning photo, from a selection from young photographers all under-18, will be decided by the public.

The People’s Choice Award is part of the prestigious RSPCA Young Photographer Awards.

In December last year, the winners of the Young Photographer Awards were announced at the Tower of London after being judged by a panel of photographic experts – with 17-year-old Thomas Durrant taking the top spot thanks to his ethereal image of a stag lit up in the darkness in Richmond Park.

The People’s Choice entries come from the judges’ picks of a selection of images entered in the Mobile Phone and Devices, Pet Personalities and Pet Portraits categories – and some of the entrants were also winners in last year’s awards, too.

This year’s shortlisted images are:

• ‘Blue, water shot’ shows a happy spaniel leaping through a puddle – by Zoe Beales, 18, from West Sussex
• ‘The happiest husky’ – by Gemma Hollingsworth, 18, from County Durham
• ‘Jedi jump’, featuring an acrobatic Cocker spaniel posing mid-air – by Jamie Smart, 10, from Wales
• ‘Spring roll’ shows cat Emlyn diving head-first into a patch of daffodils – by Anwen Whitehead, 17, from Wales
• ‘Squinting smile’ features playful tabby cat Bijou – by Ella Sharpe, 16, from Hertfordshire
• ‘The world turned upside down’ – by Harry Hollingsworth, 13, from North Yorkshire
• ‘Do you have the ball?’ shows a black labrador waiting patiently for his ball against the stunning backdrop of the Lake District – by Alexander Wilkinson, 13, from Cumbria
• ‘Head up!’ is a funky snap of Swedish flower hen Mocha posing with a purple and blue glow – by Amber Buchanan, 17, from Northern Ireland
• ‘Purrfectly draped’ shows a chilled-out cat lounging on a windowsill – by Iqra Abdul-Kahar, 15, from London
• ‘Pleading eyes’ features a close-up of a dog’s head and eyes, looking longingly into the camera – by Kacper Stempka, 17, from Merseyside
• ‘Cute-iful freckles’ shows a cute cat curled up comfortably – by George Wild, 16, from Lancashire
• ‘Hovering over the hydrangeas’ captures a hoverfly resting on a bright hydrangea – by Katherine Nash-Warner, 9, from Norfolk
• ‘Water reflections’ features a dog standing in the middle of a rockpool, leaning down towards the water – by Evie Watt, 11, from Aberdeenshire
• ‘Screeching from the rooftops’ shows two squawking gulls caught mid-screech, sitting on top of the historic Abeyconwy House in Wales – by Isaac Savage, 15, from North Yorkshire
• ‘Mucky pup’ features a mischievous Cocker spaniel, caught getting muddy – by Nel Masters, 18, from Cambridgeshire

Purrfectly draped: this image of a contented cat was taken by Iqra Abdul-Kahar, 15, from London

Andrew Forsyth, RSPCA photographer and judge, said: “The photos shortlisted for the People’s Choice award this year are fantastic and wonderfully varied . It’s a brilliant collection of images from some truly passionate and talented young people, and we encourage everyone to not only enjoy these photos, but to vote for their favourite too.”

Every year the charity encourages children and young people to take photos of all kinds of animals in a bid to become closer to nature and inspire the next generation to help create a better world for every kind of animal.

“At the RSPCA, we know how important it is for children and young people to feel connected to the natural world and inspired to protect it,” Forsyth said.

“As we look to the future of animal welfare, we’re committed to engaging the next generation so together we can drive the change needed to protect animals, people and the planet. That’s why it’s so inspiring to see these young photographers embracing nature and becoming powerful advocates for the animal kingdom.”

The People’s Choice voting is only open for one week – starting today from 12.30pm and closing on Tuesday March 24 at midnight – so get your votes in quickly. The winner will be announced on the RSPCA’s social channels including Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn on Thursday March 26.

• To view all the shortlisted images and to vote in the RSPCA’s People’s Choice Awards, please click here

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