The Colchester Pet Awards have existed in my head (and in various notes, drafts and half-finished ideas) for about a year now. But as of Tuesday 28th April, they are officially out in the world!
The simplest way to explain them is that they’re about recognising the role pets play in people’s lives and the stories that sit behind that. Because if you’ve ever had a pet, you already know it’s never just about the practical side of feeding or looking after them, it’s the room you make in your heart for them. I don’t just feel this with all the pets I’m lucky enough to care for, I also see it every day with my clients and the relationships they have with their animals – they’re family.
So the idea behind the awards was never about finding the ‘best’ anything. It was about creating something local and meaningful that gives people a chance to share the wonderful stories and they have about their animals, and to recognise pets properly for the massive roles they play in our lives.
The Colchester Pet Awards are open to pets across the local area (CO1-CO7). Dogs, cats, small animals, reptiles, horses…if they’re part of someone’s life, they’re included.
There are five categories:
- Community and Character
- Rescue Success
- Behaviour Breakthrough
- Young Handler
- Golden Years
Each one focuses on a different kind of story, whether that’s resilience, progress, companionship, or the relationship between a pet and the person caring for them.
Entries are free and open to those in the local area, and everything is submitted through the website.
Keeping it local
Something that was important from the start was making sure this felt like a genuine community initiative, not something generic.
Each category is sponsored by a local organisation that already has a connection to the community, whether that’s through animal welfare, veterinary care or simply being a space where people and their pets are part of everyday life.
The sponsors for the inaugural year of the awards are:
- Level Best Enterprises – an inclusive café, gallery and social enterprise in Colchester that supports adults with learning disabilities through training, creativity and community opportunities.
- RSPCA Essex Mid & North Branch CIO – a separately registered, self-funding charity established in 1876, providing affordable veterinary services via local clinics and rehabilitation for rescued animals throughout the Mid and North Essex region.
- The Mayne Veterinary Clinic – located on Bergholt Road, the longest-running independent vets in Colchester. They provide veterinary care to animals of all shapes and sizes in the local area.
- The Colchester Vets – an independent vets that will provide veterinary care for companion animals, including consultations, diagnostics, surgery, preventative healthcare and emergency treatment, opening in August 2026.
- Fat Cat Colchester – a family run real ale house serving a range of ales, including award-winning beers from Fat Cat Brewery.
The judging panel is also made up of people who actually understand what they’re looking at, which felt important given the nature of the categories.
The part that didn’t fit into a category
While I was putting everything together, there was one thing that didn’t sit comfortably within the awards themselves – not everyone’s story is about a pet they still have. Some of the most important relationships people have had with animals are the ones they’ve lost, and there isn’t really a space for that in something like this.
So alongside the awards, I’ve created a separate tribute space on this website where people can share a photo and a few words about a pet who meant a lot to them.
It’s completely free to leave a tribute – I’ve covered the cost of creating and hosting it, but I do encourage people to consider donating to an animal charity in their pet’s memory if they feel able to.
If you’re thinking about entering
There’s no expectation for anything polished or perfectly written. If your pet has had an impact on your life, or you’ve put time and effort into supporting them through something, that’s enough. That’s exactly what this is for.
