Help Shelter Pets With a Fun Costume Contest for Dogs in Sacramento

There's just nothing cuter than a pet in a Halloween costume. That's precisely why we've teamed up with Robert John & Associates for a fun online contest called Howl-O-Ween Happy Tails. It's a costume contest created to celebrate local rescue pets and the shelters that save them.

READ MORE: Howl-O-Ween Happy Tails- Win $1,000 For a Local Animal Shelter

But Howl-O-Ween Happy Tails isn't the only costume game in town. The 4th Annual Howl-O-Ween Dog Contest is coming up this Saturday in Sacramento.

Sacramento is located in McLean County, Kentucky, and donations collected at this event directly benefit the McLean County Animal Shelter.

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I'm sure you noticed that the event flier mentions that the contest takes place 'at the battlefield.' Sacramento is home to the annual Battle of Sacramento.

The contest was the brainchild of Natalie Hardin. The story of how it came to be is very 'Natalie'. She was shopping at PetSmart in Owensboro one day, noticed some of the pet costumes they had in the store, and she decided- virtually on the spot- that McLean County needed a pet costume contest. So, she called her friend Larae Travis and they created one.

And here we are four years (and editions) later! If you're interested in entering your costumed dog in the 2025 contest, it's really easy. Just show up and bring a donation for the shelter.

According to Whitney Sullivan, who serves as the shelter director in McLean County, you can bring any of the following items:

Adult dog and cat food

Kitten food

Puppy pads

Blankets/towels/rugs

Paper towels

Dog & cat toys

Dog and cat treats

Bleach

Antibacterial cleaning supplies

Laundry detergent

Leashes

Food and water bowls

Original Pine-Sol

Pine shavings

A panel of judges will determine winners in several canine categories: scariest, funniest, prettiest, most original costume, biggest, smallest, and oldest!