• by Tanya Gazdik , September 9, 2012

Best Western is sponsoring AAA’s annual photo contest calling for pet owners to send pictures of their pet traveling.

The winner will be featured on the cover “The AAA PetBook” and the AAA.com/PetBook photo gallery.

For the fifth consecutive year, the contest is sponsored by Best Western, which has more than 1,600 pet-friendly hotels worldwide.

The contest is open through Nov. 30. Entries are judged on artistic qualities and ability to convey the joys of safely traveling with a pet. Candid photographs are preferred. Contest rules, entry forms and photos from the previous contest are available on the AAA.com/PetBook website.

Winners appear on the next edition of “Traveling With Your Pet: The AAA PetBook,” released each May. First- and second-place photos appear on the back cover and spine of the softcover book and opening pages of the digital versions.

More than 40 finalists are pictured in a photo insert, and winners and finalists are also showcased on the AAA.com/PetBook photo gallery, a virtual brag book for proud pet parents. Additional prizes include cash, pet treats, copies of the book and, for the first-place winner, a $150 Best Western Travel Card usable worldwide.

The guide provides up-to-date information on more than 14,000 places to stay and play with pets. Listings include pet-friendly AAA Approved and Diamond Rated lodgings across the U.S. and Canada. Details include fees, permitted pet sizes, conditions of stay and pet amenities for properties at every AAA Diamond Rating level including AAA Five Diamond hotels.

For outdoor lovers, the book also lists more than 600 pet-friendly campgrounds and RV parks, AAA Approved attractions that offer kennel service or allow pets, and national public lands and dog parks open to visiting pets. Readers will also find useful tips on preparing four-legged travelers for the road or air, pet etiquette, insurance and emergency animal clinic locations.

The softcover edition is available at many AAA and CAA offices and bookstores. Digital editions for popular tablets and e-readers also are available.