A golden retriever dog carrying a stick in its mouth on a trail in a park with colorful trees in the background, identified as the 2026 winner Walter in the Richmond Animal League photo.

RAL Calendar Contest: Make Your Pet A Star!

RAL Calendar Contest: Make Your Pet A Star

PRE-ORDER RAL'S 2026 CALENDAR

Is your pet ready for their close-up? Richmond Animal League’s annual Calendar Contest is back, and this year’s stars are waiting to be discovered.

How It Works

This isn’t just a photo contest—it’s a fundraising competition where every dollar makes a difference.

$1 = 1 vote for your pet
Top 12 pets win a professional photoshoot with Brittany Rose Petography
Each of the Top 12 will be featured in their own month in the 2026 RAL calendar
The #1 pet will land the coveted calendar cover
Every pet who raises $250 or more will be featured on a calendar date

All proceeds directly support Richmond Animal League’s mission to provide hope, help, and homes for animals in need.

This year we raised $93,658.22 through the contest, and that number is still growing as people continue to purchase their calendars!

Make your pet a star!

Collage of twelve dogs and one cat, each in different settings. The dogs are a mix of breeds, sizes, and colors, including a Labrador, a black dog, a brown dog, a small terrier, and others. The cat is a gray tabby, and the animals are captured indoors, outdoors, and on outdoor furniture or walking on a trail.

Voting in this year’s contest has ended, but you can still pre-order your copy of RAL’s 2026 Calendar!

PREORDER YOUR 2026 CALENDAR

A yellow Labrador retriever walking on a dirt path in a park, carrying a plush toy in its mouth, with blurred greenery and flowers in the background.

2026 Calendar Cover Winner:

Walter The Weather Dog

This year’s calendar cover will feature Walter the Weather Dog — a beloved friend to RAL, CBS 6 viewers, and the Daniel family. Walter passed away earlier this year, but his spirit shines bright through the legacy he left behind.

Walter was no stranger to the spotlight. He appeared regularly alongside his dad Zach Daniel on WTVR CBS 6 and was a welcome guest at RAL events. Over six calendar contests, he raised more than $33,000 to help pets in need.

In year seven, Walter’s fur-brother Stanley and Zach honored him with a record-breaking campaign, raising over $24,000 in his name. Thanks to their dedication, Walter will appear on the cover of this year’s calendar, while Stanley will star in his own full-month spread inside.

Walter was more than a weather dog — he was a community treasure, a fundraiser, and a friend who made the world brighter for animals and people alike. His legacy will continue to inspire — one forecast of hope at a time. ❤️