CALGARY -- An amateur pet photo contest with a grand prize of a 4,100 square foot home in southwest Calgary failed to garner the minimum requirement of 100,000 entries.
The 'Win a $3M Dream Home with your Pet Photo' contest offered an opportunity to win a mansion in the community of Mount Royal by submitting a photo of a pet as well as a $35 entry fee.
The top prize in the best picture competition was a dream home that had been constructed in 2014 at a cost of roughly $2.9 million. At the time the contest started, the couple who owned the home said they had been unsuccessful in their attempt to sell the house on the real estate market and were facing a large tax bill from the City of Calgary and significant debt.
On Monday, officials confirmed the contest had been closed and refunds of $33.81 — the amount of the entry minus a processing fee — had been issued to the credit cards of entrants. The number of entries received has not been released.
Contest organizers took to social media to express their appreciation of those who entered.
"This Pet Photo Contest has received many inspiring photos and your pets have powerfully gifted smiles, giggles and dreams. THANK YOU for your efforts and for your participation. Our thoughts are now to focus on the financial and emotional recovery of this heart directed vision. We did our best and we put all we had into it!"
The contest had offered three, runner-up prizes of $50,000 and organizers had said that $100,000 would be donated to charity.
