Why Photograph Shelter Animals?

Animal shelters in this country are frequently overwhelmed with wonderful, loving animals who are in desperate need of a happy home. There is unfortunately a misconception that shelter animals are somehow "inferior" to animals bought from pet stores or from breeders.

However, in our experience and the experience of millions of happy adoptive parents, the generally mixed-bred animals found at shelters are often heartier, healthier, and more physically appealing than animals purchased from stores or a breeder.

For many people, their impression of an animal shelter and the animals who live there comes not from actually seeing any of these animals but from a skewed perception that the shelters are full of unwanted, undesirable animals who must have "something wrong with them". This impression is not based in reality, however, as you will see when visiting your local shelter. The animals at the shelter are there for any number of reasons, often for ones that have more to do with their previous owners' personal situations than the animals themselves.

These animals need your help to overcome the stigma of being a "shelter animal" and to increase their chances of finding a new loving and happy home. This Website will help you on your path to volunteering your photographic services to the shelter not only to increase the exposure of the available animals to the greatest number of potential adopters, but also to help your shelter raise funds to continue their important work.

Topics in this section include:

• How You Can Help
• Where Can Your Photographs Be Published?
• What You Can Photograph
• What's in it For You?

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