Harris Teeter, Purina Holding Dog Photo Contest

Shoppers in and around the Charlotte, N.C., area can enroll their furry friends in this year’s Top Dog Photo Contest, part of the 2013 Bark in the Park Top Dog Festival presented by Purina and local grocer Harris Teeter, based in Matthews. Offered by the Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation Department to promote dog parks, the festival is slated to take place Saturday, April 27 in Huntersville.

The entry period runs through March 24, and online registration is preferred, with the entry fee of $15 payable by Visa or Mastercard. Entrants may also register by mail, submitting a photo along with name; address; phone number; dog’s name, age and breed; and payment receipt number.

Judges will choose three finalist photos based on cleverness and originality, and finalists will be posted online for the voting period of April 1-14. Top Dog will be revealed at Bark in the Park, and the winning pooch and his or her owner will get a year’s supply of dog food from St. Louis-based Purina worth $299.98.

Last year, more than 50 photos were submitted, and the winner was Cooper, a 2-year-old male Boxer.