Published: December 22, 2008 10:41 pm      

Shelter dog inspires photographer

EDMOND — When Melissa Rawlings moved from an apartment to a house last year, she checked the Edmond Animal Welfare Web site for the large dog she had always wanted. Two days later, she adopted a Siberian husky mix that had been at the shelter for two months.

“I strongly believe in adopting shelter dogs instead of going to a breeder,” Rawlings said. “When I went to the shelter to meet Kyla, her eyes told me she needed a home.” Together in the get-acquainted room, the beautiful dog rolled over for a tummy rub. “I told her, ‘OK, you’re my girl,’” Rawlings said.

The husky mix became both her new companion and photography subject. As a photographer, Rawlings had displayed her fine art and nature photography at art festivals long before adopting and photographing her dog. When people saw photographs of the husky mix, though, news of Rawlings’ exceptional ability to photograph dogs spread by word of mouth.

“A new career blossomed,” Rawlings said. “I now take photographs of other people’s dogs in their homes or in parks, wherever they feel comfortable. I don’t pose dogs. People tell me I have an unusual eye for photograph composition.” Her clients all want custom-designed photography books about their dogs, said Rawlings, and that gave her an idea.

Once a volunteer dog-walker at the shelter, Rawlings had to give up that activity to work full time, attend veterinary technology school and photograph dogs. With her change in lifestyle, Rawlings had a new idea to volunteer her dog photography skills to publish a book, “The Rescued.” She offered to donate the profits to Paws for Life, a charitable organization that provides special-needs funding for the shelter.

“The response from rescued dog owners wanting to participate was overwhelming,” Rawlings said.

Everyone had the same goal in mind, she said.

“We wanted people to look at the book, see how amazing these dogs are, and realize what adoption had meant to them.” Rawlings chose eight families, most with more than one dog, to be featured in the book. The dogs came from the Edmond Animal Shelter or other shelters.

Rawlings scheduled photograph sessions every weekend for two to three months. Before photographing the dogs, Rawlings said she often “had to run back and forth to tire them out. Young, active dogs are my biggest challenge.” After tiring the dogs, Rawlings still had to be both patient and quick to get the right shots. “The dogs provided my weekend workout,” she said. “I was sore after every session.”

Despite the intrinsic challenges in photographing a dog that has more energy than Rawlings, she said, “Dogs are where my heart is, especially shelter dogs. I hope this book will encourage adoptions.”



TO ORDER A COPY of the four-color photo book, “The Rescued,” and support Paws for Life, go to www.melissarawlings.com. To adopt your own dog or cat, visit the shelter at 2424 Old Timbers Drive, on the southeast corner of Interstate 35 and Covell Road, or call Edmond Animal Welfare, 216-7615. The shelter is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Friday, and will be open 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays beginning Jan. 10. The shelter has reduced the usual $70 adoption fee to $35 for cats and $40 for dogs through Jan. 2.