From a spooky clown to a panicked pizza, Eastern’s College of Professional Programs brought plenty of Halloween spirit to its fifth annual Halloween Pet Costume Contest. There were 21 people who entered their pets through a SurveyMonkey form, and the community voted for their favorites.
In the semifinals, 104 people voted, and 89 voted in the Best of Show round. After two rounds of online voting, three horses dressed as Wizard of Oz characters took home the title of “Best in Show.”
Reno, Booger and Sugar, costumed, respectively, as the Tin Man, the Scarecrow and the Cowardly Lion, stole the spotlight – and the title. The trio won $50 worth of pet merchandise from the Eagle Store.
The Halloween Pet Costume Contest began five years ago with a simple goal: helping students across the college feel connected. These days, winners are selected via voting that is open to all students, faculty and staff, as well as the broader Eastern community.
“It’s just fun,” says Aly Rode, the CPP undergraduate and graduate services administrator who organized the contest. “It’s not related to college coursework. It’s not related to school. It’s just fun, and there’s a joy in that.”
This year’s contest featured five semifinal categories: funniest, scariest, most creative, best duo, and iconic person. “Iconic person” is new this year, stepping in for last year’s “cutest” category — a category Rode says was too broad because any pet could win it.
The winning horses were a first for the contest. Past contestants have brought chickens, lizards, cats and dogs, but never horses.
The five finalists, one from each semifinal group, included Kobra Kat, who dressed up as a distraught pizza (funniest), Phantom the Dog as Art the Clown (scariest), Beau the dog as a Target employee (most creative), and Harvey the cat and his person, Elyse Packard, who swapped looks for Best Duo with Harvey rocking a purple wig.
Bragging rights were on the line too. A traveling trophy goes to the CPP school or program with the most participation. Psychology won in 2025, and this year the School of Business is taking home the trophy.
Rode says her goal for the contest is to remind students that whether they are on campus, or logging in online, they are part of the community here at Eastern.”
I hope that they feel more connected to the college,” she says, “I hope that they feel that sense of community.”
*Story written by Cara Peterson.
HALLOWEEN PET COSTUME CONTEST 2026 PHOTO GALLERY
