Virginia Brewing Company Invites Pet Owners To Submit Photos To Become Next “Adventure” Pet On Beer Cans

If you think you have a pet whose likeness should be gracing a can of craft beer, then you should probably enter it into a new contest offered by Devils Backbone Brewing Company .  

Last year, the Virginia-based craft brewery sponsored its first Adventure Dogs contest, in which dog owners submitted photos of their Fidos enjoying the great outdoors for the chance to be featured on the brewery’s Gold Leaf Lager cans. Last year, more than 6,000 people submitted photos of their best friends to the contest. (You can check out last year’s winners here.)

“Even though our actual footprint (for distribution) is mainly the Mid-Atlantic, we had entries from all over the country,” says Hayes Humphreys, chief operating officer for the brewing company.

While five entries – for a total of six dogs, as two poodles were featured together in one entry – won the contest, several people entered non-canine pets into the Adventure Dog contest. “We had cats and lizards and rabbits,” Humphreys says. “We realized that people not only take their dogs adventuring outside – they take a lot of other pets outside, too.”

So, that’s why, this year’s contest is open to all pets. The contest launches Saturday, on National Pet Day, and pet owners can enter their photo submissions at

. They also can enter via social entry on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter using #DBAdventurePet AND #Contest. Pet photos can be entered in the contest through June 30. Pet owners can submit a photo of whatever an adventure means to them and their pet – whether it’s a pic from a hike last summer, a photo inspired by an adventure they hope to take in the future, or an adventure they’re currently having safely at home, Humphreys says. “Adventure is totally subjective, and we know it might look different for pets and their owners this year,” Humphreys says. That’s why there are a few important tweaks to this year’s contest. While last year, the company sponsored brew pub events, featuring puptenders (dog bartenders who delivered brewskis in a special vest) and raised money at these events for local rescues, this year, there won’t be any in person events during the promotion of the contest. But while the contest is going on, the company will also be inviting owners of new rescue pets and fosters of rescue pets to enter into a drawing to win one of 50 $100 gift cards for pet supplies, showing proof of adoption or fostering from a registered non-profit animal shelter. All contest rules can be found at:

once the contest goes live. After the entry period completes on June 30, the company will select 100 semi-finalists, and then consumers can vote on their five favorite pets from July 13 to July 31. Then, the five winners will have their photo illustrated by Brian Edward Miller , and those images will be placed on Gold Leaf’s new cans.

“Last year, we got a few pet pig entries so we’re hoping to get some really fun, non-traditional pet entries this year,” says Rebecca Holland, public relations manager for the brewery.

Devils Backbone Brewing CompanyAdventure Pets 2020 – Devils Backbone Brewing Company

Devils Backbone Brewing CompanyAdventure Pets 2020 – Devils Backbone Brewing Company