Pasadena Humane is asking pet owners to submit photos of their animals for intentionally awful portraits, and the deadline is noon Wednesday, Sept. 23.

The shelter's "Poorly Drawn Pets" fundraiser pairs each submitted pet photo with a volunteer artist who sketches a charmingly bad portrait. Proceeds go to animal care programs at the nonprofit's campus at 361 S. Raymond Ave.

The event is back for a second straight year after its 2025 revival. The shelter first launched the concept in 2021, when volunteers hand-drew Halloween-themed portraits for a $15 suggested donation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Pasadena Humane brought it back in September 2025, and volunteers working in a makeshift art room stocked with colored pencils, markers and paper cranked out more than 450 drawings, raising about $11,000, according to LAist.

Last year, participants donated through a Facebook fundraiser post, then commented with a photo of their pet and the pet's name. Volunteers posted the finished drawings within about 24 hours, according to a shelter statement published by Pasadena Now. The shelter asked for no more than two pets per photo and allowed multiple entries. Owners across the country sent in cats, dogs, birds, turtles, hamsters and horses.

To participate, donate through Pasadena Humane's Facebook fundraiser post, then comment with your pet's name and photo. The suggested donation is $15 per photo, with a maximum of two pets per image. Volunteers will post the finished portrait within about 24 hours. There's no limit on how many drawings you can request.

Alyssa Staniland, Pasadena Humane's philanthropy communications manager, told LAist after the 2025 round that the shelter hoped to make the event an annual tradition.

The fundraiser comes as the shelter continues to grow its reach. During and after the Eaton fire, which broke out Jan. 7, 2025, Pasadena Humane cared for more than 1,500 pets and wildlife, according to LAist. Chris Ramon, the organization's president and CEO, wrote in a Sept. 3 Pasadena Star-News column that the shelter's 18 animal control officers now cover roughly 120 square miles and serve nearly 600,000 residents across 12 communities.

Ramon wrote in a Sept. 9 Local News Pasadena column, "Every animal in our shelter has something special to offer and is waiting for the right person or family to give them a chance."

In 2025, the shelter helped more than 71,000 animals through adoptions, wildlife rehabilitation, veterinary services and other programs, according to that column.

Pet portrait submissions close at noon Wednesday, Sept. 23, at pasadenahumane.org.