NEW Top Dog set to Raise Money for Pet Rescues and Kids in Need

If you’ve ever lost 20 minutes of your life by scrolling through cute dog photos online, and who hasn’t, then the NEW Top Dog contest is basically made for you.

The wildly popular dog photo contest and fundraiser is back for another year. It pairs breweries from throughout Northeast Wisconsin (NEW) with area pet rescues — and then the public votes on their favorite four-legged friends.

But the end goal? Continuing to collect some serious money for animals and kids in need. The event has raised more than $700,000 since launching in 2020, proving a little puppy love can go a long way.

“This started as a new fundraiser idea for our Kiwanis club, and it absolutely blew up,” Ryan Albers, this year’s event chair and a member of the Oshkosh Mid-Morning Kiwanis, says. “Who doesn’t want to look at dog pictures, especially when the money goes to no-kill rescues and children’s programs?”

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Listen to the entire discussion from Nite Lite with Pete Schwaba here:

Here’s how it works:

• Dog owners can submit a photo of their pup for $10 starting January 26. Entries will be accepted through March 1.
• Voting opens February 2. Supporters choose their favorite for $1 a vote. There is no limit to the number of votes or times you vote.
• The contest ends on March 1 at 9 pm.
• The dog with the most votes in each category earns the ultimate bragging rights: a beer brewed in their honor, complete with their photo on the can!

This year’s participating breweries include Fifth Ward Brewing, Stone Arch Brewpub, Bare Bones Brewery, Fox River Brewing, and Fond du Lac Beer Company, with each one paired with a rescue organization. Proceeds are split 50/50 between the rescues and Kiwanis children’s programs.

Those programs for kids include everything from special iPads for children with autism, to Project Undercover, which supplies socks and underwear to students in need. The Kiwanis club also supports school pantry programs that make sure kids have food to take home.

And for the rescues, the impact is just as important.

“Most of the funds go directly toward medical costs,” Albers explains. “Many of these dogs arrive in really rough shape, and the goal is always to give them a second chance.”

The contest is also packed with a lot of fun along the way, including kickoff parties, brewery promotions, leaderboard displays, and special “match days” when donated votes are doubled. All of it is announced on social media which adds to the excitement.

“Whether you’re voting for the cutest face, supporting a favorite brewery, or rallying behind a rescue close to your heart, the magic of NEW Top Dog is simple,” Albers says. “You don’t even have to win to be part of something great. It’s just a fun, joyful way for the community to come together.”

And really — saving dogs, helping kids, and celebrating all of it with beer? That’s a very Wisconsin kind of win. 

Find details about NEW Top Dog here.