Smile Like a Dog » Animal Welfare

Nine Lives Kitties Need Homes!

Mark — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 16:46:17 +0000

Attention, Kitty people! My good friends at Nine Lives Foundation are trying to find homes for a few special kitties currently being fostered by one of their star volunteers. I got a chance to meet them when I was there photographing two other cats for a Pet Food Express poster. There are four approximately 3-month old kittens (2 of them below) and 7-month old Maggie who’s a special needs adoption. Those interested in learning more can contact me to be put in touch with the foster mom or contact Nine Lives directly.

Kitkat and Lincoln (11 weeks old)

Maggie (7 months)

Lincoln

Kitkat

Happy 500th, Muttville

Mark — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 20:54:20 +0000

Last week I got one of those calls you love to get. One of my favorite rescue groups, Muttville, has just hit a major milestone: they’ve just rescued their 500th senior dog after only being in existence for 2 1/2 years. To honor the occasion, Pet Food Express is donating a My Mutt poster featuring that dog, Minoo, a Wheaton Terrier. My call last Friday was to photograph Minoo for the poster. She is a lovely girl with the deepest, most expressive eyes you’ve ever seen. (see her photo below)

If you’re interested in adopting Minoo or know someone who might be, please contact the good folks at Muttville to learn more.

These Dogs Need Homes

Mark — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 04:24:52 +0000

I visited ARF out in Walnut Creek last week and met 3 dogs who’ve all been there for a while and really need good homes. All three are loaded with personality and will make great new best friends for the lucky folks who take them home. Scooter’s a little Chihuahua mix who, takes life in stride despite only having three legs. He’s a complete and utter love who likes being held and is very affectionate. Pickle is a cattledog mix with a perpetual smile and a penchant for toys. She’ll make any ball tosser happy. Suze is cute terrier mix who loves belly rubs more than just about anything.

Come check these pups out at ARF on their adoption days – Thursday thru Sunday.

Scooter Standing Tall

Scooter and friend

Smiling Pickle

Now that's a dog grin

Suze

If only someone would rub my belly

That's better

Cody Boy Needs a Home

Mark — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 16:36:59 +0000

Last week a blogged about a really cool My Mutt dog named Miles Davis. Well, Miles has a friend named Cody Boy from the Milo Foundation who’s looking for a home. Cody is currently being fostered at Miles’ house while he recovers from a bite he got from another dog–it’s pretty much fully heeled and he’s fine.

Cody is a dachshund-chihuahua mix and is probably about 16-18 months old. He’s got a sweet disposition and does well with other dogs (and probably would with a cat, too). If you’re interested you can learn more on the Milo website (scroll down, he’s mid-page)

Cody’s a real character with tons of personality and, as you’ll see, he’s a pretty funny little guy, too.

Cody Boy

Cody Up Close

Cody can Cuddle

Cody Boy

Cody Likes Cars (Miles Davis in Background)

Cody Before and After

Animal Welfare Photos on SF Chronicle Blog

Mark — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 17:42:13 +0000

A few weeks ago Amelia Glynn, the San Francisco Chronicle /SFGate.com pet blogger asked if I’d be interested in working with her on a series about local Animal Welfare groups here in Northern California. The first piece, one on Nine Lives Foundation, ran two weeks ago and the second one on Muttville got posted just today. It’s a great article and really gets to the heart of Muttville and it’s founder, Sherri Franklin. For those of you who don’t know Muttville, it’s a non profit here in San Francisco dedicated to finding homes for senior dogs. You can see a few shots below or check out all of them in this gallery

Muttville Founder Sherri Franklin & Granpapa

Chowtime at Muttville

Bunny Gets Every Last Bite

Moses looking Stoic

Lady

Wonder Why My Name is Bunny

Settling in after Breakfast

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Kitten Season Chronicles Part 1

Mark — Wed, 06 May 2009 13:00:54 +0000

This post is a bit of a departure for me. It’s the first of several you’ll see in the coming weeks focusing on what’s known as Kitten Season in the animal-welfare world. For those who don’t know about Kitten Season it essentially runs from spring through fall when the warmer weather converges with female cats’ heat cycle and animal shelters start bursting at the seams with unwanted kittens. Organizations such as the San Francisco SPCA are on the front line dealing with this kitty deluge through fostering programs, adoptions and spay/neuter clinics. Other, more species-specific welfare organizations here in the Bay Area such as Nine Lives Foundation (to be featured in an upcoming post) are also extremely busy this time of year.

For this first post I’m focusing on a foster family for the SF SPCA that’s taken on five 4-week-old kitties until they’re stong and old enough to be put up for adoption. It’s tough and exhausting work: the kitties need constant feeding, cleaning and attention and are very vulnerable. The shots below were taken on their second day at the foster home.

Caveat: while photos of kitties are inherently cute I really want to stress how serious an issue Kitten Season is (or pet ownership in general, for that matter) and urge anyone reading this to help by spaying or neutering your cats, volunteering at a shelter, becoming a foster parent or adopting.

Ernie the Foster Kitty

Ernie on the Prowl

Oscar up close

Ernie well in hand

Ernie Grooming

Ernie on watch

Bert the ninja

Bert batting his baby blues

Mary - syringe feeding kittens

Foster Kitten Feeding from Syringe

Bert, Ernie, Cookie & Oscar after dinner (covered in food)

Cookie Gets a Bath

Was that so bad?

Cookie hangs out with Shannon (foster dad)

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Monet the Bunny

Mark — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 18:39:58 +0000

The folks at Pet Food Express have been keeping my very occupied of late (thanks, guys) with My Mutt assignments. Interestingly enough, none of the recent ones have really been mutts and my new bunny buddy, Monet is the latest. He’s a harlequin mini rex who was rescued through Save a Bunny and he’s absolutely gorgeous. Check him out…

Koko the Wondercat

Mark — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 18:03:32 +0000

I had another photo shoot for a Pet Food Express My Mutt poster a few weeks back but this time it was for a cat (I know, they need to rethink the name of the program) named Koko rescued by a nice family down in San Carlos through the Nine Lives Foundation. Koko was abused before he found his new forever home and is completely blind in one eye and either completely or nearly completely blind in the other. He does just fine without them, though and plays like a normal kitty. Look for Koko in a poster down in the San Carlos or Redwood City Petfood Express sometime soon.

Cover Girl

Mark — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 05:26:21 +0000

This week was a milestone for me. I had my first published magazine cover shot with the San Francisco SPCA’s award-winning Our Animals quarterly. Many heartfelt thanks to Paul Glassner, the editor of said publication for giving me a shot at this and being such a good mentor.The subject, Nikah, is an adorable Chi-terrier mix that I met at the SPCA during the Small-dog class we took our own terrier mix to. Congrats, Nikah. You’re a star!

Project Homeless Connect #22

Mark — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 06:02:30 +0000

Those of you who read this blog semi-regularly know that I volunteer for an organization here in San Francisco called Project Homeless Connect. Every 6 weeks or so PHC holds an event at a major venue in town where homeless service organizations and homeless clients meet. In a word, it’s amazing. You’ve really never seen anything like it unless you’ve actually been there. For a photographer that’s a serious challenge but I do my best. As a pet photographer, the icing on the cake is that PHC also services homeless companion animals and, trust me, the bond between these noble creatures and their owners is as strong or stronger than any you’ve ever seen.

PHC #22 took place about a week ago down at Pier 48 near ATT Park (we all still call it PacBell even though the name changes corporate sponsors every other year). You can see all my shots here but my favorites are below.