Winners of the annual Star Tribune Halloween Pet Costume Contest

If entries to the Star Tribune Halloween Pet Costume Contest are a guide to the cultural zeitgeist of the moment, then it's clear that Minnesota pet parents are in the mood for normalcy, comfort, escape and maximum cuteness.

Out of the hundreds of entries we received, we didn't get any pet costumes inspired by the pandemic, divisive politics or fraught social issues.

Instead we just got one adorable photo after another of dogs, cats, guinea pigs, rabbits, lizards, chickens, even a fish. In addition to awww-inspiring ghosts, zombies, pirates and postal carriers, there were robots, cheerleaders and a pet dressed as a pet rock.

The outfits ranged from store-bought to custom-sewn and sometimes entailed elaborate props and scenic locations.

Many pet owners acknowledged that it required a liberal use of treats (from nibs of cheese to Cheerios) to get their models to cooperate for a photo shoot.

These entries, the best of the best, will receive a commemorative dog tag and our assurance that they are really, really good boys and girls.

Lucy, a 9-year-old puggle from Excelsior, recently had the tip of her ear bitten off by "an unsociable poodle." So owner Lori Segar Mans, who had seen the Immersive Van Gogh exhibit in Minneapolis, was inspired to re-create the Dutch artist's famous painting depicting his own little mishap: "Self-Portrait With Bandaged Ear."

Elko resident Nicole French commissioned a custom outfit with lace cuffs and a ruffle collar from an Etsy artisan. She got some purple dog shoes on eBay, found a used little red kiddie Corvette and even got a wig for her dog, Diesel, a miniature pinscher/chihuahua mix.

"They actually sell dog wigs," she said.

When the puppy posing as Prince did a photo shoot outside of First Avenue, a band that was rehearing inside came out to take their own pictures, French said.

Ruth Reilly, of Maple Grove, commemorated Bob Dylan's 80th birthday this year by dressing her chihuahua mix, Cinnamon, as the Duluth native singing and playing the guitar and harmonica on "Highway 61 Revisited." Cinnamon and fellow rescue dog Sammy have about 7,000 Instagram followers on @cinnamon_and_sammy.

The expression on chihuahua Pinky's face as a lobster in a pot made this a compelling entry submitted by Lynn Hepner Briel of Plymouth.

"His face makes everybody laugh," said Chanhassen resident Jill Struck of Henry, an English bulldog, who is trick or treating this year as Dracula. "Henry is open and available for any and all modeling."

Millie, a great pyrenees mix from Maple Grove, is the White Rabbit while owner Klair Lindblad's niece, Sadie, poses as Alice in Wonderland.

Pyewacket, a 3-year-old Siamese, is "a pretty naughty cat," according to owner Amanda Averbeck of Richfield. So a devilish outfit seemed appropriate.

Yorkies Gus Gus and Kevin were inspired by Paul Bunyan to wear suspenders and matching flannel shirts, according to owner Emily Reilly of Minnetonka.

Walter and Deja, shih tzus from Golden Valley, portray "Star Wars" characters Chewbacca and an Ewok. They frequently dress up, according to owner Carie Stattman. "You should look at our Christmas cards," she said.

Jake Tyler Olson, of Brooklyn Park, got a human-sized Robin outfit on Amazon for himself and cat-sized Batman outfit on Etsy for his one-eyed companion, Winks.

Sometimes a great pet costume can be as simple as a tea towel with a hole cut in it when you have a willing model. In this case, Tippi, the chihuahua owned by Stella McEwen of Afton.