National Press Club wants to see your best journalism about animals and their welfare

Time to prepare your entries for the Ann Cottrell Free Animal Reporting Award, which honors the best journalism on animals and their welfare each year.

The award is given as part of the National Press Club journalism contest.

The prize is given for the best coverage in 2018 that educates the public about threats facing animals. The award was established by the family of journalist and longtime Club member Ann Cottrell Free, who wrote extensively about animals and their welfare.

Entries must consist of a single article or broadcast, or a series of up to five related articles or broadcasts, which will be judged as a unit. A letter detailing how and why the entry demonstrates original and thought-provoking reporting should accompany the entry. Submissions that provide evidence of impact or prompted action will be given particular consideration.

The winning entry receives a $750 prize.

The deadline is April 15.

The entries can be submitted online or by the more traditional method of mailing them in. The winner is expected to be honored at a dinner at the Club this summer. Members can enter for free and nonmembers pay $60 per entry.

The contest includes awards for political reporting, regional reporting on Washington, international coverage, consumer reporting and online journalism. It also includes a group of awards for areas as diverse as reporting on the welfare of animals, coverage of the journalism industry, newsletter journalism, problems facing the elderly and humor writing. Details on the different awards categories and how to enter the contest can be found by clicking here.