We see the reports all the time: animal shelters in the United States are full of dogs and cats. Some are surrendered by their families. Others are brought in by people that find them on the streets. The sad reality is that once they get there, animals have a short time to find loving homes. Shelter employees and animal rescue groups work tirelessly to improve their odds, but not all of them survive the experience.
As a pet photographer, my job is to create images of animals for their human families. But I also want to help homeless animals find families of their own. Two friends referred me to Friends of Rescue (FOR), a group based in Huntsville, AL. Their volunteers foster dogs and cats in their homes until they are adopted. Dana Brown, a FOR member, invited me to her studio to photograph FOR wards. Our first collaboration was on March 14, 2014, and we had three kittens and four puppies in the room. The collaboration continues: in 2014 I photographed 66 dogs/puppies and 190 cats/kittens. As of May 2015, 48 dogs/puppies and 101 cats/kittens have been added to my FOR portfolio.
If you are ready to add a dog or cat to your house hold, please consider adopting from a shelter or a rescue group. If you cannot adopt, volunteer your time and/or money to help them save lives.