Voting for the 2025 Nose of Tralee Pet Competition officially closes this Sunday, June 29 at midnight, and with over 34,000 votes already cast, it’s shaping up to be an exciting year.
Now in its 12th year, the Nose of Tralee celebrates pets of all shapes and sizes across Ireland – from pampered pooches and curious cats to birds, bunnies, horses, hedgehogs, and even bearded dragons. The competition shines a spotlight on the pets who bring joy, comfort, and laughs to our lives – and this year’s entries have been nothing short of heartwarming.
Fermanagh’s entry this year is eight-year-old dachshund Harely who will be hoping his inspiring story will win the public’s heart and see him taking the crown home to Fermanagh.
Harley was born in Australia, but ended up in Fermanagh after his owner took ill and returned home to the county. Sadly, Harley’s owner passed away and he ended up with the team at Husky Salvation in Irvinestown.
He had also suffered an injury somewhere along the way, which has left him with severe mobility issues.
Luckily for Harley, he quickly found a new loving home, after being adopted by Tamlaght woman Lynn Bussell, who is smitten with his adorable character.
With just days to go, the public has one final chance to help decide who will go through to the next round. Voting is open to everyone, and you can cast your vote once every 24 hours by visiting: www.petsittersireland.com/nose-2025/
Once voting closes, the 3 pets with the most votes in each county will go through to the judging round. From there, a panel of independent judges will choose one finalist per county. Pets are judged on their number of public votes, photo, and written entry. The 32 finalists will then take part in the final public vote, running from 24th July to 18th August. The winner of the 2025 Nose of Tralee will be announced on 19th August!
Kate McQuillan, organiser of the Nose of Tralee, says:
“The response this year has been incredible. We’ve loved seeing the variety of pets enter and reading their stories. It’s not just cats and dogs in the spotlight anymore – our voters are rallying behind all kinds of amazing animals. This weekend is the final push before voting closes, and we can’t wait to see who makes it through!”
Finalists and winners will receive fantastic prizes from a host of Irish competition sponsors, including Pet Sitters Ireland and David MCauley Photography.
For more information visit www.NoseOfTralee.com