Charlotte, NC photographer posts new shelter dog photo every day for 365 days to raise awareness of homeless animals. Never give up hope. Foster. Adopt. Rescue.
Please just give her the chance she so deserves. She is available through Lancaster Shelter Pet Showcase of South Carolina
I am always intrigued by how the general population feels about individual images and/ or photo summaries or accompanying stories. I am equally surprised by which ones made the top 10 as much as I am that none of my favorites made the list. As a photographer, only 1 of these would have made my top 20.
There are 12 images due to 2 ties. 10 of the 12 are pit bulls and is a sad reminder of how maligned the pit bull breed is. Cities, counties, homeowners associations, insurance agencies and the media unnecessarily discriminate against them. The result is devastating to the breed. The animal shelters and rescues do not have enough resources to combat the overwhelming stigma.
I wrote a detailed research article on the subject for my newspaper and it was published back in 2012. Unfortunately, not much has improved for pit bulls since.
Here are your top 10 most liked 365 shelter dog photos on my Alison Kirkconnell Photography Facebook page:
Number 1: Tie
I am not at all surprised that these 2 are tied for 1st Place. Both are pit bulls, one of my favorite dog breeds.
The first one is a tragic tale with an all too familiar ending here in the southeastern United States. He was euthanized at the shelter the day after I took this photo. He was one of the 42 pit bulls seized by the York County Sheriff in 2019 during a well publicized dogfighting investigation. The animal shelter is required by law to hold these animals as evidence in a possible court case. Shortly following the dog’s release by the court, he was euthanized at the shelter due to dog aggression issues.
He was in no way a harm or threat until another dog appeared. This was trained into him likely since he was born. I can’t bear to imagine what he must have been exposed to.
We had a good day. He ran around. He felt the earth under his feet. We played. RIP sweet boy.
More on this story here:
Deputies in SC seize 42 pit bulls during possible dogfighting investigation
This photo is more technically correct and is on my list to re-edit and composite. This image will eventually find its way into my fine art collection. He appears to be a black mouth cur mix and was a joy to work with.
Number 2:
A blue-nosed pit bull: my favorite dog breed. Of all the breeds, this is the one that checks every behavioral box for me. They are kind, cuddly, funny, food driven, sensitive, strong and eager to please. They are also an extremely attractive dog, obviously.
Number 3:
I have no idea what happened to this pit bull. He was a proper size small, absolutely adorable and very sweet. I would like to imagine he went to rescue where he would have been rehabilitated and adopted to the general public.
Number 4:
Another pit bull favorite that bears the scars of a less than ideal life. She was also very sweet and extremely easy to handle and command. She wore that lily pad and flower like a rock star!
Number 5:
This was 1 of 20 pit bulls I photographed in Columbia, South Carolina during the 365 campaign. He is a brindle pit bull.
Number 6:
This one is a puppy. Puppies are cute and generally hard to photograph. He was a teenager so it was a bit easier.
Number 7
Some dogs are so easy to work with I barely have time to get off a shutter release before the image is done. This is what I call a one and done. I may have been with him for less than a minute, just long enough to tie on the bandanna, get him in focus and snap the shot.
This is actually a huge dog. That blue bandanna is the biggest one I’ve ever made. My style of shooting focuses primarily on their faces and eyes.
Number 8:
Pit bull puppy. Puppies are terrorists. Sometimes I joke with my husband that the only reason humans get through the puppy phase is because there may be no cuter creature on earth.
Number 9:
Drake, one of the alleged fighting dogs taken by authorities during that dogfighting raid. He is said to be one of the studs. I’ll say. Have a look at him- the heart throb!
Number 10: Tie
No surprise here- a pair of pit bulls rounding out the top 10.
Photos by Alison Kirkconnell
The goal of the 365 campaign is to raise awareness about the number of animals in the shelters. Each day for one year I post a new and unique photo of a dog taken at an animal shelter. Many of these dogs were adopted from the shelter or sent to a rescue organization. Some were euthanized at the shelter.
Donate. Foster. Adopt.
Here it is: the final installment of 365 Shelter Dogs. Thank you for joining me on this journey to help homeless animals. We’ve laughed; We’ve cried. We’ve felt joy and sorrow. Most importantly, we’ve saved lives.
I will continue to photograph animals in need for rescues and shelters as I have done for the last 9 years. Let me know if you are a shelter or rescue in North America and need exceptional dog photos. I will either come personally or find a qualified photographer for you.
Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!
The goal of the 365 campaign is to raise awareness about the number of animals in the shelters. Each day for one year I post a new and unique photo of a dog taken at an animal shelter. Many of these dogs were adopted from the shelter or sent to a rescue organization. Some were euthanized at the shelter.
Donate. Foster. Adopt.
Yesterday’s post was a heartbreaker. So today I post this guy. I have no idea what his circumstances are or what his name is or was. But I call him Joy. He doesn’t care what his circumstances are either. He’s just happy.
With Christmas fast approaching, I hope we all find joy and peace regardless of circumstances in this crazy world.
The goal of the 365 campaign is to raise awareness about the number of animals in the shelters. Each day for one year I post a new and unique photo of a dog taken at an animal shelter. Many of these dogs were adopted from the shelter or sent to a rescue organization. Some were euthanized at the shelter.
Donate. Foster. Adopt.
In my head I have debated whether to publish this photo 1,000 times. It’s graphic. It’s hard to look at. The photographer in me says no way. Why put this out in the world? We’re exposed to suffering every day. 320,000 Americans dead today of COVID. The United States is torn apart, families and neighbors across the country misunderstanding and mistrusting each other with deadly consequences. Poverty, unemployment and hunger plague not only the United States but the world. Why should I publish one more reminder of how cruel we can be to those less capable or fortunate?
The news reporter in me asks what is the point, really, of 365 Shelter Dogs? To post cute photos in the hopes that people consider rescuing dogs instead of buying them? Certainly. But at the expense of completely disregarding the reality of these animals’ true conditions and fates?
Over the years I’ve photographed 1,000’s of rescue and/ or shelter dogs, both as a news photographer and as charitable act. I’m as sensitive as anyone to their suffering. But to do my job I cannot indulge in pity. The way that is possible is to emotionally detach from my subjects.
I go, meet the animal, dress them up, get them to behave in a way that conveys whatever humans determine is worthy of visual attention and do so quickly to photograph as many animals as possible in the shortest amount of time. To do otherwise would be doing them a disservice. They need my skills and my experience, not my pity. My pity is mine to loathe on my own time.
I post this today because for once, for 1 out of 365 times, I feel it’s necessary to convey not only the cute, perfect fur balls that end up homeless through no fault of their own but also to acknowledge the less fortunate animals- the abused and the neglected. For progress it is important to recognize and admit that we have a problem as a society.
Hope is a strong driver and crucial counter to despair. Honesty is the first step towards change.
This dog was humanely euthanized the day after I photographed him. May he RIP.
The goal of the 365 campaign is to raise awareness about the number of animals in the shelters. Each day for one year I post a new and unique photo of a dog taken at an animal shelter. Many of these dogs were adopted from the shelter or sent to a rescue organization. Some were euthanized at the shelter.
Donate. Foster. Adopt.
