The San Diego Humane Society today began accepting entries for its "March Meowness" tournament, in which pet owners are encouraged to submit photos of their furry -- or scaly, or feathered -- friends to compete for Petco gift cards.
When the NCAA's March Madness basketball tournament was canceled last year, the San Diego Humane Society hosted its first-ever March Meowness. The public can submit photos to be San Diego County's champion pet. The top 32 photos -- based on votes received by midnight on March 14 -- will advance to the 32-seed March Meowness bracket.
Voting is open to the public throughout the tournament and determines which pets advance to the next round. To increase chances of winning, contestants may encourage friends and family to vote by sharing a link to their pet's entry.
All voting is free, with a limit of one vote per person per day.
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Contestants will move forward in head-to-head match-ups in the Sweet 16, Elite Eight, Final Four and championship round. The winner will be announced on April 6.
First place will bring the winner a $150 Petco gift card, and the second-place finisher will get a $125 card. The third- and fourth-place finishers will receive $100 and $75 cards, respectively.
Participants can sign up online, here.