Landfill Dogs

Photo by Shannon Johnstone, from her series Landfill Dogs

I recently discovered the photography of Shannon Johnstone. If you're not familiar with her work, she has focused a lot of her time recently on the shelter population and euthanasia epidemic.  One series of photos documenting what happens inside of animal control shelters is quite disturbing.  Important I think, but disturbing.  As you know, I like to focus on the positive, so while I find that series eye-opening, I don't recommend it for sensitive viewers.  Here are links to Discarded Property and Shelter Life.

What I DO recommend for all viewers is her series, Landfill Dogs.  I encourage you to visit the gallery. The images are lovely, joyful, and poignant. Johnstone really captures the beauty and potential of each dog with her stunning photography.  Here is her artist's statement for Landfill Dogs:

"These are not just cute pictures of dogs. These are dogs who have been homeless for at least two weeks, and now face euthanasia if they do not find a home. Each week for 18 months (late 2012–early 2014) I bring one dog from the county animal shelter and photograph him/her at the local landfill.

The landfill site is used for two reasons. First, this is where the dogs will end up if they do not find a home. Their bodies will be buried deep in the landfill among our trash. These photographs offer the last opportunity for the dogs to find homes.

The second reason for the landfill location is because the county animal shelter falls under the same management as the landfill. This government structure reflects a societal value; homeless cats and dogs are just another waste stream. However, this landscape offers a metaphor of hope. It is a place of trash that has been transformed into a place of beauty. I hope the viewer also sees the beauty in these homeless, unloved creatures.

As part of this photographic process, each dog receive a car ride, a walk, treats, and about 2 hours of much needed individual attention. My goal is to offer an individual face to the souls that are lost because of animal overpopulation, and give these animals one last chance. This project will continue for one year, so that we can see the landscape change, but the constant stream of dogs remains the same."

You can follow the Landfill Dogs series on Facebook.

Our dog Toby was rescued from an animal shelter in Fruit Heights, Utah.  Luckily, it was not a high kill shelter, and he was allowed to be there for several weeks before he found us.  Toby could have been a Landfill Dog.  Instead, he was given a chance to fulfill his potential as a companion.  Tyler often says, "Toby was the best decision we made together. After getting married of course."  

Gandhi said,

"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way in which its animals are treated."

Shannon Johnstone is doing her part to forward our moral progress.  Her work has helped find homes for many worthy animals. Each of us should stop for a moment and ponder on what we can do as well.

Things I've Learned From My Dog

A couple summers ago, my husband Tyler decided it was time to get a dog.  Toby is a great dog and a wonderful companion.  I had never had a pet dog in the house, so I didn't really know what to expect.  Now two years later, here are a few things I have learned from Toby:

Live in the present

Toby came to us from the shelter.  He had traumatic experiences, but he didn't live in the past.  He didn't say, "People are no good; I think I'll give up on them."  He said, "That was hard, but I am open to the idea that there are good people in this world and I can move on."

Never give up

When Toby first joined our family, Kiko (our cat rescue) was incensed.  She was seriously mad.  At everyone.  For a long time.  But Toby wanted her as a fried.  He was determined.  He had decided they would be friends, so he started working at it.  

You could almost see him telling her, "How's it going? I'm Toby.  Nice to meet you.  Nah, I'm cool.  It's all good.  I'll just sit here quietly and let you make the next move."  He just got a little closer every day, always respectfully tenacious.  Little by little, he chipped away at his goal.

The other day, I saw Kiko lick Toby's forehead.  Yes, it took two years (that's a lot of dog time) and a lot of patience, but Toby made his goal a reality.

Smile

Toby has a great smile.  I mean look at this.  And he smiles a lot.  Even after something disappointing happens.  He just shakes it off and starts smiling.  Smiles are infectious, and they can make you feel better.

Be eternally hopeful

I start cooking and here is Toby.  It doesn't matter how long the cooking takes, or what's cooking, he will sit like this.  Waiting.  For the possibility of a morsel.  For the suggestion of an idea of a possibility. 

Whether or not he got any last time I cooked, he will sit here waiting.  For any amount of time.  I can be there an hour later, and he will still be there.

Always hoping.  Sure in the belief that good things will eventually come.

Be adventurous

Toby is always ready for an adventure.  He is always ready to explore.  He doesn't care that it's unfamiliar or strange.  He is confident that something awesome is out there waiting, if he'll only take the initiative to find it.

Take a break

It's okay to check out sometimes.  Toby knows what he needs.  Sometimes the world is just too much and he needs a break from everything.  I mean everything.  So he sticks his head under the couch/bed/chair and ignores everything.  Sometimes you need to ignore everything and take a breath.  Toby knows he suffers from hyper-vigilance, so he hides his face and doesn't distract himself from his much needed rest.

Be supremely patient

For some reason, we find it highly amusing to put things on Toby's head.  And he is always patient with us.  Here is his patient face:

He never starts yelling or telling us we're jerks.  He just sighs and waits for us to finish.  Because he loves us.  He puts up with these brief annoyances because he knows the pay off will be worth it.  More snuggle time with his favorite people.

Put your head out the window

Smell everything.  See everything.  Taste everything.  Life is short.  Don't waste your time.

Family is most important

 More important than work, more important than money, more important than belongings.  Kinda goes without saying, huh?

Saw something that saddened me today.  I know this has been making the rounds on Facebook.  Did you all see it?  New policy by Mobile County Alabama Animal Control.

How many lovely family pets are pit bulls?  We had a pittie mix growing up, and my kids have a pure bred pit bull rescue.  Both dogs were the sweetest, most loving pets.  The fact that Mobile County AC isn't even allowing rescues to come in and remove the animals to give them a chance just seems so anti-intuitive.  I had hoped we as a nation were making more progress than this.

I don't normally write posts like this.  I like to focus on the positive and celebrate our successes.  But it's good to be informed.

Remember, spay and neuter your pets to prevent unwanted litters and adopt, don't shop!

Wake County Fur Ball 2012

Check it out!  DawgArt will be the last item auction at the Wake County SPCA Fur Ball black-tie fundraiser this year.  The painting featuring Ernest (which I had so much fun creating), will be printed on thousands of invitations and 500 programs.  To see the painting close-up, click here.  Prints of the piece will be available after the auction.

Miracle sketch

Miracle from Illinois Doberman Rescue Plus painting all sketched out!  To find out what it's all about, visit Indiegogo for the Lost & Found project.

Lost & Found: Miracle

Today I will start painting the first piece in the Lost & Found series, a gallery show of paintings that will benefit rescues worldwide.  Visit Indiegogo for more information, to contribute to the project and to share the project with others!

My first subject will be Miracle, rescued by Illinois Doberman Rescue Plus.

Here is Miracle's story, as written by Lauren Kelliher for a press release (photos courtesy of IDR+ Facebook page):

Illinois Doberman Rescue Plus (IDR+) is amazed at the outpouring of support from all over the world for an emaciated stray that came into the rescue three weeks ago.

"I've got over 20 years in this line of work, and have seen my fair share of emaciated cases. His original condition, recovery, and the public’s reaction to him is just beyond words," said IDR+ volunteer Andy Ivanicky.

Word spread about the emaciated stray, and thousands of people wanted updates. The IDR+ Facebook fan page was inundated with comments and posts of support for him. The main IDR+ website overflowed with donor acknowledgements. People could not get enough photos and videos of his progress. Emails, letters, packages and Facebook comments from dog lovers came as far as Alaska, Hawaii, England, Spain and Australia.

“As rescue volunteers, we are familiar with people rallying around a particular animal in need, but the outpouring of support for Miracle is a reminder of why all rescuers do this,” said Lara Trapp, IDR+ treasurer. “We are so grateful to those who have provided for his initial care and allowed us to do what we do best and hope those people know how much their donations and well wishes have helped.”

On January 11, IDR+ received an urgent call about an emaciated Doberman who was found in an alley. Animal control did not think he would make it, but IDR+ offered to give him a chance, so he was rushed to Animal Medical Clinic of Joliet.

“We honestly did not know if he would survive the car ride to vet. All we could do was hope,” said transporter Nikki Koth. “The whole car ride I just kept petting him and trying to keep him warm. I kept saying, ‘please just make it there.’”

When he first arrived at the animal hospital, his temperature was so low it did not even register on the thermometer. Some people wondered if euthanizing him would be the kindest course of action. He could not lift his head, and his eyes were sunken in. He weighed 33 pounds; nearly 60 pounds underweight for a healthy Doberman of his size.

“I estimated he had less than two hours to live,” said veterinarian J.A. Etsinger, DVM. “He was hypothermic, semi-comatose, hypoglycemic, and extremely dehydrated.” 

Dr. Etsinger and vet tech Kathy Harding put him on a heating pad and gave him warm IV fluids and antibiotics even though his veins were collapsed. Within a few hours of veterinary care, his temperature registered at 98 degrees (it should be 102), and he started showing signs of life.

Miraculously, the dog survived through the night, so he was named Miracle. He continued to make enormous strides toward recovery. Miracle started drinking water and eating food; he lifted his head.  

“I think everyone involved, including myself, was hopeful, but I don't think that anyone was optimistic considering the grave condition he was in,” said animal rescue volunteer Dawn Sutherland.  “I was elated with the progress he made.”

Over the next week, Miracle gained strength and reached some milestones. He ate 12 cups of food a day, and he showed a strong will to live. Dr. Etsinger and Harding stood him up with support and slowly increased weight on his legs.  Miracle was soon able to stand, walk, and bark. It was a few more days before he wagged his tail.

"I never thought I'd be so happy just to see a video of dog eating," said IDR+ adopter and volunteer Tasha Huebner, who followed his progress on the IDR+ Facebook fan page.

Usually, when dogs endure this amount of trauma, their internal organs begin to shut down, and that was a concern for Miracle. However, his bloodwork indicated no major red flags, and the only issue the x-rays showed is that he had apparently eaten some wire. Miracle had a serious puncture wound on his front leg that is still healing. He also had other deep skin sores from lying on concrete.

“Miracle already has several adoption inquiries, but he will not be ready for adoption for a while yet,” said IDR+ President Pam Abare-Newton, who is now fostering Miracle in her home. “He still has several months of recovery including three surgeries to fix his entropian eye, remove the wire, and neuter him.”

Everyone is pulling for Miracle’s full recovery. One Facebook poster requested a t-shirt for people to show their support for Miracle, so IDR+ designed one and made it available at www.cafepress.com/MiracleDoberman. Several people offered to donate percentages of their business sales to IDR+ in honor of Miracle. Doberman groups all over the country were abuzz with his progress and organized donations of their own.

"Miracle makes you realize that there is hope and there are good people out there. He is an inspiration and watching his progress touches my heart every day," said IDR+ Board Member Kristen Carey.

Miracle has since made a full recovery and been adopted into a forever family.  His ability to survive, thrive and continue to trust and love is a testament to the power of his spirit and the tireless work of the caring individuals working with Illinois Doberman Rescue Plus to save his life.  The proceeds from the sale of Miracle's painting for Lost & Found will go to IDR+ for direct care of the animals currently in their care.  Follow along here at the DawgArt blog and on Facebook for updates on his and other Lost & Found paintings!

Rescues on the Lost & Found List!

Meet the rescues around the world that will be benefited by the Lost & Found show!  Visit Indiegogo to contribute, share and help animals.

Each painting will directly benefit each animal featured!

2^nd Chance Dachshund Rescue, CA - Cooper

Angels of Fur K-9 Rescue, NY – Jenny

Bama Bully Rescue, AL – Izzy

Blue Dog Rescue, TX – Leesa Ray

Chako Pit Bull Rescue and Advocacy, CA - Henry

Corridor Rescue, TX – Fiesta Freddie

DFW Rescue Me, TX - TBA

Donegal Pet Rescue, Ireland – Chance

East Coast German Shepherd Rescue, Canada - Fric

East Galway Animal Rescue, Ireland – Wallace

English Bulldog Rescue Network, Houston – Bob

Homestretch Hounds, OH - Jeffrey

Illinois Doberman Rescue, IL – Miracle

Jericho's Promise, CA – Scarlett

Journey's End - TBA

Kodi's Club, NY & PA – Baloo

Lone Star Shih Tzu and Lhasa ApsoRescue, TX - Mandy

LoveyLoaves Rescue, FL – Duncan

Mayday Pit Bull Rescue and Advocacy, AZ - Emma

Mid-America Boston Terrier Rescue, NE - Missy

Minnesota Boxer Rescue, MN – Atticus

New England Lab Rescue, ME - Gov

Rain Rescue, UK – Martha

Rocky Mountain Great Dane Rescue, CO – Boz

SA Dog Rescue, South Australia - Elle

Second Acts Animal Rescue, CA – TBA

Shelter Angels Pit Bull Rescue, GA - Cupcake

Sniffing Snouts Pit Bull Rescue, FL – Valen

South East Dog Rescue, UK – Evie

Wildhorse Ranch Rescue, AZ - TBA

New Donation - Ernest

Meet Ernest, an adorable French Bulldog rescued by the Wake County SPCA in North Carolina.  I guess I've started to make a reputation for myself as an artist who gives back, so Wake County SPCA selected me as their featured artist for their annual black tie fundraiser, The Fur Ball.  I created this original work of art, 18x24 inches, acrylic on canvas, based on their photographic reference of handsome Ernest.  Wake County SPCA is an organization doing their part to rescue animals in need.  The image will be used on thousands of invitations and 500 programs, and then the painting itself will be auctioned at the event!

To see Ernest's painting be created, visit YouTube.

New Lost & Found Project!

We didn't get to our fundraising goal the first time we ran Lost & Found on Indiegogo.  But there's another opportunity contribute, share and help the animals!  Share this link with everyone you know: http://igg.me/p/169629 and let's see if we can build an awesome show to benefit animal rescues around the world.

Check out the new promo video for my charity art project: Lost & Found!

You can contribute to this endeavor in two ways: First, you can click here and fly to Indiegogo to contribute financially and claim some pretty awesome perks.  Second, you can take this link: http://igg.me/p/169629 and share it with everyone you know, through email, Facebook, Twitter and your other social networking sites.  And then encourage THEM to share it.  If you can't contribute financially, please still share the link.  The more people who see it, the better!

New Commission - Raja

This is Raja.  She was the apple of her daddy's eye.  She has since crossed over the Rainbow Bridge, but this painting is a loving memorial to her sweet spirit.  For prints, click here.  And watch the painting being made, right here!

Don't forget to check out the newest DawgArt project at Indiegogo! Lost & Found: A series inspired by and for rescued animals.