SALT LAKE CITY — Volunteers are aiding in the effort to find shelter pets new homes.
Liz Dranow owns a professional pet photography studio called Time Punk Pet Photography.
In her free time, Liz takes her camera equipment to Salt Lake County Animal Services where she works with dogs that have recently entered the shelter.
“What we are doing here makes an actual difference and that's just amazing,” Dranow said. “I just come in and take pictures. I have the easy job.”
To help dogs look their best to prospective adopters, Dranow photographs them under studio lighting with perfectly themed backgrounds – like a red drape decorated with hearts for photos taken around Valentine’s Day.
Each dog spends several minutes in the studio while Liz gets the perfect shots.
“It's just a question of timing,” she said. “For me it's patience.”
Other volunteers help get the dogs ready for their glamor shots. Full-time staff at the shelter pitch in with treats and words of encouragement to the animals as Liz points and shoots.
“It’s very helpful for people to see the real dog,” said Kiera Packer, the facility’s special services coordinator. “Not the dog that just came into the shelter and is unsure where it's at and that's in a kennel or cages. You get to see their personality a little more in here.”
When Dranow's two-hour volunteer session is complete, every dog has a smiling, fun photo that is proudly displayed on the Salt Lake County Animal Services website.
In many cases, the dogs are quickly adopted after their photos debut on the website.
“The highlight of my week is when I come in and Kiera says, ‘By the way, you know that dog so and so – somebody saw the photo and wanted to meet that dog and that dog got adopted,’” Dranow reflected. “And that makes my week. It's just like, score!”
Results like that make the volunteer work worth all the effort. Liz has done this for about ten years and as dogs continue to find new homes, she plans to do this for many years to come.
“You get so much more out of it than you ever expect,” she said. “The people I have met and the experiences I have had, it's amazing. I would have never expected it and I love it.”
The two dogs who were photographed while FOX 13 News cameras were at the shelter, Madison and Bandit, were adopted before this story aired.
