Our Pet Selfies competition is back for 2018!

To celebrate the nation’s love of pets, we’ve teamed-up with Vets4Pets to invite readers to send us their purrr-fect pictures of themselves with their furry, scaly or feathered friends once again for the chance to win a prize.

The competition starts from Monday and is completely free to enter.

We’re inviting readers to send us their best pictures of themselves and their photogenic dogs, cats, rabbits, Guinea Pigs, lizards, horses and other animals.

Pictures can be uploaded via the button at the bottom of this story.

The pictures where they will then be uploaded to an online gallery for readers to see.

All images submitted will be published in the Daily Echo on June 26 when readers will be given the chance to vote for the pictures they think are the most paw-some.

The 12 pictures with the most votes will become finalists before a panel of judges select the top three images.

The top three winners will each receive Pets at Home vouchers to spend on their prize-winning animals. First prize is £200, second place will receive £100 with £50 for the person who comes in third.

Last year we were inundated with more than 600 entries of pet owners with their animals.

Unusual pets included a bearded dragon, parrot, cows and even a llama.

Katrina Adye came in first place for her well-timed picture taken with her surprised-looking kitten.

Andy Martin, editor of the Daily Echo, said: “We were overwhelmed by the response to last year’s competition and we look forward to seeing more fun and quirky pictures of readers with their pets.”

Entry for the competition opens on Monday, April 30 and closes at midnight on Saturday, June 9.

Vets4Pets is a large veterinary group but all surgeries are individually owned and managed by local vets.

The Bournemouth practice is owned by Tom and Leanne Mowlem, Christchurch’s practice is owned by Debbie Clarke while the new surgery at Poole’s Holes Bay is owned by Dan Makin.

Usual Newsquest terms and conditions apply.