When I was two my Mother and I briefly lived with my Grandmother who had a farm, she had a cow, and numerous sheep and goats and chickens, peacocks, geese, ducks, fish, etc etc on her farm. I have fond memories of helping my Mother and Grandmother bottle feed the lambs every spring. I loved it. I would carry those little babies around even though they were bigger than me.
My Grandmother had a blind goat Cocoa that I used to "lead" around the pasture (though she was the one leading me!) I loved that goat. Her and I were best of buddies. I also remember getting butted by a couple of naughty sheep when I was little too! And chased by peacocks and having chickens try to eat my toes. That was not fun. Been goosed by a goose too, again...not fun.
But through it all I've always throughly enjoyed being around animals.
I've bottle fed baby bunnies, and wrestled wild bunnies out of the mouths of dogs that were trying to kill them, I've tried to (unsuccesfully) hand feed baby birds, and I've hand fed many tiny kittens and little puppies too. Most of the time I successfully saved the lives of these animals. Occasionally one would die and I would be crushed for days.
Being a vet was something I really really wanted to do for years. The 3 top things I wanted to do as a child, were be a vet, or a teacher and which ever one I did, I was still going to be a writer.
One spring as a teen I followed some farmers around helping them birth the cattle. That. Was not fun. I decided that side of being a vet, was not for me. So my dreams of being a vet flew out the window. But I have never lost my love for caring for animals.
I still care very deeply about animals and want to do what I can to help them.
I have a couple of new found friends that I met last summer (I had actually met them several times before that over the years, but we didn't actually get to talk until last summer). They do dog rescue. Not on a large scale but they do what they can for as many dogs as they can.
Recently, (as in the beginning of March) if I could/would take some photos of these dogs that were being fostered at one of the woman's homes. They had seen the photos I take of my kids, and of my own dogs and they liked them and wondered if I'd use my gifts to help these dogs (they knew I had a soft spot for dogs). I was unsure. I'm no pro with a camera. Infact I just have an old (nearly 5 years old) Kodak EasyShare ZD710 camera. Absolutely nothing fancy about it. It looks slightly fancier than what it really is. But I get lucky from time to time and get some decent shots. I use a simple free web basked editor. My husband knows how to do photo shop and keeps trying to pressure me into figuring it out, but I'm stubborn and won't "convert" to the world of photo shop until I freaking have to. So I keep digging in my heels. I ain't going to photo shop without a fight. Why? Because I don't like it. It's hard. It takes too much of my damn time.
Whatever I'm doing with my pictures, apparently someone somewhere likes so I'm using these "talents" to help dogs in need of homes.
SO many times I look at photos of dogs in shelters and the photos are awful. Quickly taken, thoughtless, just a snap, lighting sucks, no thought put into it yadda yadda. (Like I said I am no professional but I do *try* to put thought and love into each photo I take!)
So far I've actually helped quite a few dogs find homes, yay me! It feels nice to get to help these little guys find their furever homes.
The nearby shelter gets little traffic, and they don't even have a website dedicated to finding these guys homes, so it's up to the rescue group to help them. They work closely with the shelter coordinator and other workers to set up times to see these dogs so they can be photographed by me, and we can get their faces out there.
If you'd like to look at some of these dogs you can check out an album HERE of the ones that are up for adoption from this location at the animal shelter. Granted, taking photos of dogs in the shelter is not as easy as you might think. These dogs spend most of their time in a kennel, they get taken out of the kennel for the photos and are soooooo hyper and wiggly. They want to RUN they want to PLAY they don't want their picture taken and certainly do not want to sit infront of a "pretty" back drop. Nope. There is always a second or third person needed to help hold the dogs still, so there is always a cropped up person in all of the photos. But the photos work. The animals are slowly but surely getting adopted. However, the shelter is VERY VERY full. Animals will be getting gassed, and soon. This, breaks my heart! Baxter, will be the first to go. Which is so absolutely heart breaking. It hit me the other day that I've been working so closely with these dogs, if any of them get gassed it's going to destroy me. I'm going to feel like I failed them. I've already shed many tears over this realization.
There are also the dogs I've photographed that are up for adoption through the Rescue Group that takes in dogs too. To see their photos please check out this album HERE. Most of these guys were a little more cooperative to photograph. They are in need of homes though. They are currently being fostered by kind people.
This is an album of dogs that I have photographed and helped them find their homes because the rescue group was able to get their cute little faces out there for people to see. So glad I was able to help these guys HERE.
It's a learning process to photograph dogs, that's for sure! However, they do have a lot in common with trying to photograph toddlers. Wiggly and never look the direction you would like for them too, and are very unpredictable, and can be a hazard around cameras. You get a lot of photos of the back of their heads or their rears. And a lot of their photos are blurry. You take a bazillion photos to end up with like 1 or 2 that you can actually use. Yep. Dogs and toddlers have a lot in common when it comes to photography. OH and they'd rather play with the back drop and photo props than look at you, and they try to take off any "costumes". When they let you know they are done, they are DONE. You cannot bribe a dog as easily as you can a toddler though.
And below are some photos of my spoiled rotten dog Molly who is turning 2 years old soon. It's also time to take Karmen out and get her photos taken too as she has just officially turnerd a year old! We'll see how well she cooperates she's never had a "doggy photo shoot" before.
It's really hard to go to the shelter and see all of those dogs and not end up coming home with all of them. But I have 3 kids and 2 dogs, that is all I need. I'm good. Eventually, when the kid are older, a lot older I'll THINK about getting a cat. Think about it. I'm not much of a cat person. (Probably because growing up my Mother had like a bazillion of them) I like them but can only handle one cat at a time and the have to be declawed and spayed/neutered to be in my home (like my dogs). And I despise nasty litter boxes gross. Plus I'm kind of allergic to cat dandruff. Nuff said.
Anyway, I do what I can to help these pups find homes. I'm not a professional, just a mom with a camera and a passion for helping animals. I love doing volunteer work and this is something the kids can get involved with too, so it's fun for all of us. My daughter usually comes along and is my assistant, she's awesome. She shares a huge love for dogs too, they've always been her favorite animals!
Hopefully all of the dogs at the shelter can find homes. The shelter is getting super full and by Tuesday they stand a chance at being gassed. I do not want to see that happen.
If you can help, please call (660)833-7330 they are always looking for people who can foster dogs, people who want to adopt, or rescue groups that can help (there are atleast 2 pitts that need a rescue group or they will be gassed). People can also donate too. They are always needing money to be donated to build dog beds (the inmates at the local prison build the dog beds as well as work at training some of the dogs in the Puppies for Parole program). Dog food is always needed, dog snacks, leashes, collars, volunteers to help clean out the pens, volunteers to help bathe and walk the dogs, money donated to cover vet costs so the dogs can be spayed/neutered and get up to date on all their shots, tested for kennel cough and treated, tested for ear mites and treated if needed. There is so much you can do to help!
Mae (I'm Mahala BTW I just go by Mae cause it's easier for people to say and remember!)
