Zorro Finds His Place In The World
I am having a ton of fun photographing free pet sessions with pets that have been adopted into new families!!! Being allowed to come into a family’s home and share with them the joy of a new family member is an amazing experience. The new pet knows how lucky they are and their new family is overjoyed. So really it may be somewhat selfish of me to relish being a part of this personal time with these families.
It gets so depressing seeing all the animals waiting to find their “furever” homes. The pounds are overflowing, and most rescues have stopped taking in animals, since they have no more fosters available to take them in. The pound is a horrible horrible place, it is depressing, and sad. Even the animals are depressed and sad. I personally can not go there as it is just too much to take emotionally. Bless the people who work at the pound. They are doing a job that really no one wants, and no one wants to see done.
So to go and photograph a pet in its new permanent loving home, well it is the bright side of what these rescue organizations and even the pound do. It is truly amazing to see these animals blossom in their new homes. They really are grateful for what they have been given, you can see it in their eyes if you truly take the time to look.
I recently went and shot not 1 or 2 dogs, but 5 for Terri and Jerry Watson. Three who were permanent members of this family, and two fosters. One of the fosters named Zorro, caused me to leave with tears in my eyes that day. This little dog (a senior chihuahua) would come and just sit next to me while I was taking pictures of his “temporary” family. He asked for nothing, no nosing for pets, no licking trying to get my attention. He just sat there as if to say “you know I am here and I am safe, and that is enough for me.” At one point his foster “dad” picked him up and just loved him with so much emotion that deep down, I knew even though I was told he was a foster, that he had truly found his place in the world. A place with a warm bed, toys to play with, siblings to hang out with and a family that loves him more than anything else. This my friends is why rescues do what the do, and why I LOVE what I do. I was fortunate to get the picture of Jerry showing love to this foster dog, and it has truly become one of my favorite photos that I have ever taken. (and to be clear I have taken tens of thousands of pictures). I do not know if Jerry knew I was shooting him when he was doing this or not, but I am so grateful to him and his wife for showing their fosters as much love as they do their own dogs. If I ever come back as a foster dog, I want a family as kind and loving as they are. So thank you Terri and Jerry for allowing me to come into your home and share your “children” with me, I will be eternally grateful.
If you have adopted a new family member and would like more information on a free photo session with your new pet, please feel free to contact me, I would be honored for being allowed to share in this special event with your family.