A CHARITABLE organisation building a shelter for cats and dogs in Cambridge is on the lookout for pet picture for their 2016 calendar.

Cotswolds Dogs and Cats Home are asking for pictures of pets out and about in the beautiful Cotswolds countryside.

If you have a picture of your pet you could stand a chance of them being one of the 12 lucky animals to feature in the calendar.

The photography competition is the brainchild of Grace Averris, 15, of Cirencester, who has been volunteering as part of the charity’s youth fundraising group just over a year.

Grace says: “We know how important it is that the Cotswolds Dogs and Cats Home is built as we hear so many sad stories of animals in need of help or a loving home and we thought a calendar of animals who are lucky enough to have a great home would be the ideal way of raising some funds towards the target.”

There are 12 prized slots up for grabs and the entries will be judged by a celebrity panel of James Horwood, Amaury Blow and Lisa Maxwell.

The final 12 pictures will be displayed in all of the charities five shops and customers can vote for the overall winner who will receive a Dibond print of the picture for their home.

All photographs should be of pets (dogs, cats, small furries and horses) and should show the animals outdoors in a setting that reflects the unique Cotswolds environment. Entry to the competition is free but the charity would be grateful for any donations that people may want to give.

Donations can be made via the charity website or at www.justgiving.org.uk/cotswoldsdogsandcatshome

The competition closes at midnight on Sunday, May 31. To find out more about how you can take part visit the charities website at www.cdch.org.uk

Work begun on the Cotswolds Dogs and Cats Home in Cambridge when ground was broken on the new site on Monday, April 13.

The project has spanned over the course of a few years and £3.25 million of the required £4 million has already been raised. The charity is now, in the coming year, making its final push towards their goal.