Today I caught up on even more stuff, ran a bunch of errands, and ended up not doing something I really wanted to do because sometimes things just don’t work out. And that’s okay.
In the midst of it all, I opened an email from our rescue group sharing their decision, inspired in part by the 100 Happy Days meme, to do a 100 Thankful Days project expressing what they’re grateful for. On this day, they said they are grateful for my transport photos! They shared photos from the first officially documented transport on October 19 of last year. Since they’ve transported more than 3400 dogs and cats, I believe I’ve shot a few photos with my trusty old Nikon.
I began last September taking some shots of the first few transports at BARC. In fact, here is the very first photo I took–of Bernie and Bailee as they waited to get on board the van.
After those initial transports, two things struck me. Every single animal deserves for his or her face and name to be recognized and celebrated. And every single foster who unselfishly provides love and care to a dog or cat who is promised to someone else should have a photo to remember them by. That’s when I began doing the photo collages that the group posts to their blog.
I know that I’ve missed a photo here and there–it is NOT easy to photograph cats, by the way!–but often the drivers (especially Cowboy Jon) will help me out by taking photos en route or in Colorado and sending them to add to the collages. Sometimes fosters have shared their personal photos or I’ve been able to take pictures prior to transport day and include them. And when I missed a transport while I was out of the state for my nephew’s wedding, Tim stepped in and took the photos–and didn’t miss a single little traveler.
While the rescue group and the fosters think I’m doing a good thing for them, they return it many, many times over. Every transport day I am awed again by all the time, energy, and passion so many people put into making the difference between life and death to these dogs and cats. In the few seconds I point my camera at them, I’m laughing with them, sometimes crying with them, and mostly I’m having my faith in all good things restored by them.
I eagerly look forward to the next 3400-plus dogs and cats to photograph–and I’m grateful to everyone who’s part of our group for giving me the opportunity to document this.
Surely, the love and appreciation of 3400+ dogs and cats has earned you a pair of silver wings and at least a mini-golden halo first class.
I hope so. I have a lot of misspent youth to atone for. 😉
Molly and Michelle also appreciate what you have been doing. I just hope all those cats and dogs are loved. Cats, on the other hand, just don’t get cameras. Michelle is picking up on the idea and is starting to like having her adoring public admire her from afar like any lovable doggie should, but those cats. Geez. Every time I try to get a good picture of one, which is rare anyway, I get it’s butt. That is to say, any cat seems to want to share its butt, even that tiger at the Aquarium?! But I soon showed that t-t-tiger to re-re-re-respect the the the c-c-c-cam-camera. Yeah.
If the dogs in the photos look sad, that’s a dog’s way–you know, PITY me because if you pity me you’ll probably feed me and pet me and love me and and and… You put them down in the grass or in a puppy pen and even when they get in their crates on the van, they either curl up and sleep (if they’re sleepy) or they start socializing like mad.
Cats, on the other hand, don’t really like transport day. Too many people, too many dogs, too much activity. So they tend to scooch way back in the carriers and turn their heads away when I try to get photos. However, a lot of the cat fosters are really great about pulling the kittens out so they can be photographed. We mostly let the cats be because they’re enduring enough indignity already.
Then again, there are SOME cats, like Jonky, who really couldn’t give a crap what’s going on and know they’re royalty.
You’re a good person.
Thank you. It takes one to know one. =)