The Pawsies Awards nomination terms and conditions

Submitting a nomination for the 2026 Southern Cross Pet Insurance Pawsies Awards (“Pawsies”) constitutes acceptance of the following terms and conditions.

1. The Pawsies is made up of the following 3 award categories:
   1. Dog of the Year
   2. Cat of the Year
   3. Vet Clinic Team of the Year

Nominations

2. To nominate a pet or vet clinic team for the Pawsies, you need to live in New Zealand, be over 18 years of age and adhere to the below additional criteria for each award. You don’t need to be a Southern Cross Pet Insurance customer. For each of the awards the following additional criteria applies:
   1. Dog of the Year:
      
      1. Nominator must be the owner of the dog that is being nominated
   2. Cat of the Year:
      
      1. Nominator must be the owner of the cat that is being nominated
   3. Vet Clinic Team of the Year:
      
      1. Nominator must have visited the vet clinic with their pet within the last 12 months
3. There is no cost or fee to nominate.
4. Nominations are open from 8am 10 March to 11.59pm 12 April 2026. No late nominations will be accepted.
5. You can nominate more than once if you have more than one pet, but you can only nominate your own pet or vet clinic once.
6. Employees of Southern Cross branded businesses, award judges and supporting commercial partners (but not charity partners) of Southern Cross Pet Insurance (SCPI), and their respective family members, are not eligible to nominate their pet or vet clinic for these awards. Vet clinics and their staff are not able to nominate their own vet clinic for the Vet Clinic Team of the Year award.
7. By submitting a nomination to the Pawsies you agree that:
   
   1. SCPI will email you about the subsequent stages of the Pawsies, including judging, voting on the shortlisted nominations, the winners’ announcement and other information about Pawsies.
   2. SCPI can use the information you provide in your nomination in their marketing – limited to your name, pet’s name, the photos & videos you provide, pet personality traits, and why you think your cat, dog or vet clinic team should win their respective category.
   3. If your pet is short-listed for their category (see 8. below) SCPI may contact you to ask for more details about your pet, and/or additional photos or videos of your pet.
   4. If you are not already a customer of SCPI we can use your name and contact details to market to you about our products and/ or send you our pet insurance newsletters.

Judging

8. After nominations close, 20 nominations from each award category will be selected by SCPI for a shortlist. This shortlist will be sent to the judging panel.
9. Judging will take place in the week commencing 5 May 2026. The judging panel will select the 5 finalists for each of the Cat and Dog of the Year awards, and the winner of the Vet Clinic Team of the Year.

Voting

10. The winner of the Dog of the Year and Cat of the Year awards will be determined from the 5 finalists for each category by a public vote. Voting will be available on our website between 13 and 27 May 2026 and is open to any resident of New Zealand aged over 18. Only one vote per category will be accepted, and the winners of each will be the Cat and Dog who receives the most votes in their category. Any fraudulent or dishonest behaviour during voting will result in disqualification.
11. By submitting a vote you agree that:
    
    1. SCPI will email you to inform you about the winners, and further information about Pawsies
    2. If you are not already a customer of SCPI we can use your name and contact details to market to you about our products and/ or send you our newsletters.

Winners and Prizes

12. The winners of each award will be notified by SCPI via phone or email by 12 June 2026 and announced and promoted over social media and by email to SCPI customers and any other person who has nominated their pet or vet clinic and/or voted for the Cat or Dog of the Year. If a winner can’t be contacted within 7 days of this date, then the award will be given to the runner up for that award category.
13. The prizes for each winner and the remaining 4 finalists for each of the Cat and Dog of the Year award categories and the winner and runner up for the Vet Clinic Team of the Year category, comprise:
    
    1. Dog of the Year winner (valued at approx. $1,893.99): Pawsies trophy; Pawsies collar tag; A3 pet portrait from Pickle’s Portraits worth $110; a billboard with the winning pet’s photo on; $500 Animates voucher Mark Vette training pack worth $900, which includes a private consultation with Mark Vette, 6 months access to Mark Vette Virtual Training School, a set of training tools (set of 3 clickers, long lead and treat pouch); Animals Like Us (ALU) supreme gift pack worth $159.99 (includes three (3) 340 RawMix50™, one (1) 1.8kg RawMix50™, one (1) Limited edition ALU Plushie and one (1) ALU Tote Bag and a Fur Love prize pack worth $224.00 made up of six (6) products.
    2. 4 Dog of the Year finalists (valued at approx. $577.99 each): Pawsies finalist certificate; Animals Like Us (ALU) standard gift pack worth $69.99, includes two (2) 340g RawMix50™, one (1) Limited Edition ALU Plushie and one (1) ALU Tote Bag); a $200.00 Animates voucher; 3 months access to Mark Vette Training School worth $237.00 and a Fur Love prize pack worth $71.00 made up of two (2) products)
    3. Cat of the Year winner (valued at approx. $1,104.99): Pawsies trophy; Pawsies collar tag; A3 pet portrait from Pickle’s Portraits worth $110; a billboard with the winning pet’s photo on; $500 Animates voucher; Mark Vette training pack worth $350 which includes a private consultation with Mark Vette, Cat Zen book and cat training clicker and Animals Like Us (ALU) gift pack worth $144.99, includes two (2) 1.36kg RawMix50™, one (1) Limited Edition ALU Plushie and one (1) ALU Tote Bag.
    4. 4 Cat of the Year finalists (valued at approx., $324,99): Pawsies certificate; a $200.00 Animates voucher; Animals Like Us (ALU) standard gift pack valued at $74.99, includes one (1) 1.36kg RawMix50™, one (1) Limited Edition ALU Plushie and one (1) ALU Tote Bag, Southern Cross Pet Insurance cat toy and copy of Mark Vette’s Cat Zen book valued at $50.00.
    5. Vet Clinic Team of the Year winner (valued at approx.,$2,224): Pawsies trophy; Pawsies pins for the vet clinic team; $1000 Prezzy Card; Fur Love prize pack valued at $224.00 and a decal that can be displayed in the clinic window to promote the award.
    6. Vet Clinic Team of the Year runner up (valued at $271): Pawsies runner up certificate, $200.00 Prezzy Card and Fur Love prize pack worth $71.00 made up of two products.
14. SCPI (and its officers, employees and agents) is not liable for any loss or damage whatsoever including but not limited to any direct, indirect, special or consequential loss) or injury arising in any way in connection with the Pawsies awards or acceptance or use of any prize.
15. SCPI reserves the right to cancel the Pawsies or amend or modify these terms and conditions in its discretion, without liability, including after nominations have closed. Any decisions made by SCPI are final and no correspondence will be entered into.
16. By submitting a nomination or voting you understand and agree that SCPI will collect personal information about you. Your personal information will be held by us in accordance with the Privacy Act and these terms and conditions and for our customers, in accordance with our Privacy Statement, which can be accessed online here.

Southern Cross Pet Insurance, Level 1, PwC Centre, 109 Ward Street, Hamilton 3204