Do you have the cutest cat, dog in the SC Midlands? Prove it by entering our contest
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Think your cat or dog is the most adorable in the Midlands? Then enter them in The State’s contest for the Midlands Cutest Cat and Cutest Dog.
Send us your favorite and most adorable picture. They can be all dressed up for Halloween — ballerinas, superheroes and panda bears, whatever is cutest. Not required but welcome.
You also may have some photos of your pet in their favorite sleeping position or out at a dog park or on the hunt.
We want to see your photos.
A newsroom committee of animal lovers will review all entries and select the Top 50 cats and Top 50 dogs to move on to the public voting rounds for two separate polls.
Voting for Round 1 will begin on Wednesday at noon and last until midnight on Sunday, Oct. 26. Round 2 of voting will start at noon on Monday, Oct. 27 and end at midnight on Wednesday, Oct. 29. If we get fewer than 5 submissions for dogs or cats, there will be only one round of voting, with voting ending midnight, Oct. 29. We’ll announce the winners on Monday, Nov. 3.
You can enter multiple pets, but you’ll need to use a separate submission form for each. Vote for your favorite as many times as you like.
More than 20 McClatchy newspapers across the country are holding cutest cat and dog contests. The winners from each market will automatically be entered into a second contest to determine the Cutest Cat and Cutest Dog in the country, launching Monday, Nov. 10.
How to enter our cutest pet contest
Fill out one of the forms below to submit your pet’s photo and information. Be sure to choose the correct form for your animal.
Ready to enter? Use the links below:
By submitting a photo, you agree that your entry and images may be published online or in print by The State its parent company McClatchy News, and that you accept our Terms of Service.
Remember: This poll isn’t scientific — it’s for fun!
This story was originally published October 13, 2025 at 11:59 AM.