Izzy (final act)

September 29, 2016

Getting home late last Sunday from Kenya was exhausting. I just wanted to curl up with my boyfriend and dogs. I love getting the jumps and licks from my pooches each time I come home from a trip.

"They DO miss me!"

I always tell myself that. It's comforting. What's not comforting is noticing one of your dogs isn't feeling well. Her activity level and demeanour was the same, nothing different except she didn't eat all of her breakfast and then none of her dinner. The next day, she ate mouthfuls, barely. We called the vet and brought her in for a checkup. They did a blood test and various numbers, I can't even began to know where to start, were completely OFF. After being put on IV, overnight in our vets office and then transferred to two other emergency vets for 5 days. Izzy died.

She died by euthanasia after it was made clear she would not recover from acute renal kidney failure. We don't have any answers. We are still grieving. The vets did urine and blood testing and nothing conclusive came back. What we do know is that all the work in the world that was available, her numbers were not improving and her kidneys were at a state where they could not recover for any quality of life.

We brought her home on Monday afternoon and cuddled with her and told her how much we loved her. It was so sad. We could barely mutter words through our swollen throats. At one point I got up and grabbed a leash to take Lucy to get some errands and Izzy stood right up, out of her bed, as if she was saying

"Uhhh .. where do you think you are going without me???!!"

Fair enough. I looked at Ryan and he immediately grabbed her leash. How could one ever deny their dying dog one last walk. Walks that she loved.

We did half our regular circuit and then Ryan brought her back in the house. I took off and then came back. Ryan had to pick up some items for a motorcycle trip so I stayed with her and while he was gone she started to breath harder and harder. She was literally lifting her neck, holding it, mid air in order to breath. Ryan came home right away and we just hugged each other .. and her and cried.

It wasn't suppose to be like this! We had already arranged for an at-home euthanasia in the morning and now we couldn't even give her that. She was telling us she was uncomfortable and there was no chance we were going to let her suffer through the night. We called up Alta Vista Animal Hospital and spoke to the vet whom was treating her. Her shift was ending in 5 mins but she said to come and she would stay to see Izzy through.

Ryan sat in the back seat and we drove the 10 minutes down Hunt Club Road to the hospital. We brought her in, catheter still in place in her leg, and Dr. Tobin gave us a few minutes before giving her the sedative and then the euthanol. We told her how much we loved her and how happy we were that she became our foster and then .. our failed foster. We joked how she was the BEST dog out of all of our dogs. She was friendly with other dogs and people and she had the BEST qualities of a Husky-mix, she was non destructive and she didn't run away and could be off leash.

I scratched and kissed her forehead while her body stopped moving and she took her last breath. Ryan held her from behind and we just wept. Like now, as I type this .. we wept.

Izzy came to us via Sit With Me. She was pulled from a shelter when they were no longer able to figure out her skin/health issues. We were able to determine she was hypothyroid and fortunately after 5-6 weeks on Synthroid, her coat and energy did a 180. When that was under control she went up for adoption. That didn't last very long. Ryan had fallen in love and he wanted to adopt her. That was a year and half ago. I must admit .. we thought we would have another 5, 6, maybe 7 more years with her.

We may never know why Izzy wasn't able to push through the antibiotics and the treatment the vets gave her. It's possible, with her immune system, that she was never 100% and just couldn't push through. We tried, we tried so hard.

We love her so much and although I know that 'life goes on', as it did when our Shamar died 2 years ago, right now:

IT. JUST. HURTS. SO. BAD.

Kenya

September 21, 2016

I've just returned from the most amazing trip.

18 months ago I started researching photographic safaris. I had made a shortlist of tours and countries and after MUCH deliberation, I chose to go with David Lloyd of David Lloyd Wildlife Photography and Amy Shutt of Amy Shutt Photography. Amy & David are a great duo who want nothing more than for you to learn, fall in love and photograph the amazing wildlife of the Maasai Mara.

This trip started with getting up early on a Friday morning and having my boyfriend drive me to the airport in Ottawa. Everything was packed .. I was ready for go! My only concern was the WEIGHT of my carry-on. I had found a used Think Tank Airport Takeoff on Kijiji, planned my gear and made everything fit. I knew it would fit on the airplane but my first challenge was to make sure I didn't have any grief at the first check in. As it turned out, there was no problem, it wasn't weighed and for the next 24hrs I was making my way to the African continent. I flew to Philadelphia --> Doha --> Nairobi on Qatar Airlines (who were fantastic; helpful, great service, and good food). I even got an entire row to myself on the way there and 2 seats to myself on the way home. Knowing I had long layovers, I purposefully booked a seat at the back of the plane that had empties beside it. My hope was that most people had already checked in online and that those seats would still be empty. They were. This means that often you are the first to embark, and therefore get a spot for your carry-on. It also means you are the last to get off, which .. in my case didn't matter, there was no rush so you end up waiting an extra 5 mins to get off the plane. Hmmm let me think about that, an extra 5 mins to wait vs being able to stretch out and even sleep horizontally on a 13 hr flight? Exactly, you don't need to think about it. :)

I finally arrived in Nairobi where a driver met me at Departures. He had a sign with my name and we were able to take off immediately. A 30 minute drive down Mombasa Road and I get to the Serena Hotel. After such a long flight it was so good to drop off my bags and take a shower and relax. Several of us were arriving at all different times throughout the Saturday. I met up with David, Amy and some others for a beer at 7 to just get an idea of the week ahead. We all gathered the following morning at breakfast before checking out and leaving for the Masai Mara!

Flying out to the Mara is done at Wilson Airport. They provide Safarilink charter planes that have daily trips. After getting on our plane, within 45 minutes (1 extra stop at another landing strip in the Mara) we had arrived. I remember when we were coming in for our landing and seeing the zebra run from underneath the plane .. I was in Africa!

We are picked up and brought to Entim Camp, about 30 mins away. Entim is a permanent tented camp right on the Mara River - an amazing location for EVERYTHING. You can see images of the camp here . I was paired up with Allison, a special effects makeup artist from Vancouver. The tents are very nice and include plumbing which is great for taking showers after a hot day in Kenya. There is a dining tent, a media tent that includes 3 iMacs, wifi, lounge tent for drinking some Tusker beer and socializing. I can't say enough about the staff. Wow. So hospitable, so helpful and always ready to help you. Guests are free to walk between the two sections of the camp, however if you want to go down to the river or across, you need to bring a guide with you. This is also required after dusk. Flashlights are provided for each tent, however when it gets dark you are not permitted to walk around without a guard. At first I wasn't sure what this really meant but it became audibly clear after my first night. You can hear EVERYTHING. Sound carries down the river, so even though the hippos sound like they are 10 feet away, they are several hundred. However, there are many animals that migrate and walk through the camp. We had lions, hyenas, elephants, gazelles & zebras. There is no air conditioning in the tents, though each one is provided a fan. Due to this .. it is quiet as a mouse - except for nature. It was truly amazing to just lie in bed, close my eyes and listen to LIFE around me. I won't lie, there were a few times when you heard an attack of some sort or kill on the other side of the creek where it gave you the shivers. I heard a bit of sniffing and snorting a few feet away. It just adds to the experience.

For the game drives, the night before at dinner we are asked what time we would like to be woken up and if we would like coffee, tea or hot chocolate. Our morning drive leaves at 6am so Allison and I asked for our wake up call to be around 5:15. This gave me time to get dressed and ready, shower if needed and double check my camera bag to make sure I have everything. Once you're ready and you unzip your tent, a guard is there to walk you to the main tent. Once we are all there, we get into our vehicles and head out.

The vehicle of choice for safaris in the area is the Toyota Land Cruiser. These are TOUGH. From crossing jagged rocks through a river to climbing embankments, we had great guides as drivers. They have 3 rows and each photographer had their own row. There is a preferred side to photograph from but in some cases you may want to go from side to side and having an entire row allows you this. I had bought a clamp for my Manfrotto ballhead but in the end I never set it up. I used a SafariSack Beanbag the entire time. It was very flexible and allowed me to put it down anywhere within my opening, and very quickly depending on what side the animal was on.

The vehicles try to stay in a certain proximity of each other, partly so they can maintain contact through radio with each other and this helps for spotting animals. One two occasions I went with another driver but for the majority I was assigned the same driver for each game drive. My driver's name is Julias and he had a great deal of knowledge and excellent motoring skills.

We would usually be out from 6am until noon, breakfast is eaten somewhere in the bush around 9am (depending on what we see .. if something interesting was happening we would decide to delay until the action was over). Either in a clear area on the river or in a clearing, the guides would chose a place that was safe so we could get out of the vehicles, stretch our legs and eat without worrying about an animal encounter.

We would head back to camp during the hot time of the day. Generally rolling in between 11:30-12. That would give us time to unload our gear in our tent, maybe copy over files to a laptop, freshen up and then meet back at the main tent for the lunch buffet at 1pm. The food was consistently good and they are capable of preparing vegetarian, vegan or other restrictive dietary needs.

We would rest from 2-4pm and then head out for the evening drive. Below is a list of all the mammals and birds I remember seeing:

Lion
Cheetah
Giraffe (Maasai)
Elephant
Buffalo
Black Rhinoceros
Spotted Hyena
Jackal
Bat-eared fox
Crocodile
Zebra (Burchell)
Topi
Thomson's Gazelle
Wildebeest (Western White Bearded)
Baboon
Hippo
Impala
Leopard
Mongoose
Serval Cat
Lappet-faced Vulture
Southern Ground Hornbill
Tawny Eagle
Warthog
Eland
Ostrich

Being able to see everything that we did, I feel this is determined by the quality of your driver and the guides. Entim had a great crew who live in the area, know the area intimately and because they are out daily with visitors, they learn of the territories of groups/clans and have a good starting point on what to look for, where and when. I had considered at one point going with a private guide but .. as much as they would be familiar with the area, having the Entim guides work with each other and scouting, allowed us to see so much more than if I was solo in a vehicle with one guide. I may do this in the future but I am very glad I was part of a group for this safari.

Even though David Lloyd provided detailed information on what to bring and what works best for most game drives, I still found myself second guessing what photographic equipment I should bring. I had an idea of what I wanted to photograph but not a clear vision. In the end, I wanted to make sure I had enough focal length for the photographs I wanted to make, that I had enough memory and be prepared for any situation. The kit below is one I made based on my own personal shooting style:

Bodies

Canon 5DMK 3
Canon 7DMK 2

Lenses

Canon 300mm 2.8 IS V1
Canon 70-200 2.8 V2
Canon 17-40 4
Canon 1.4 Extender V3

Accessories

B+W 77mm 10 Stop ND Filter
12 X 32gb CF & 12 X 32gb SD cards
Kinesis SafariSack beanbag
Manfrotto 043 superclamp
Bushell Binoculars.

I had thought about bringing my tripod but I knew if I was going to use it, it would likely be for some long exposure shots at night. David had a tripod at camp that we could use if needed. I changed my second body from a Canon 50D to the 7DMK2 prior to the trip. This allowed me to have a better working body in low light, faster shutter speed and it has the dual card slot in the body. Along with the 5DMK3, it allows you to put both a CF and an SD memory card. I have my bodies set up to record simultaneously to both slots. In this situation, should something become corrupted with a card, or damaged, you have an exact duplicate on the other card.

The 5DMK3 had the 70-200 lens on it almost exclusively. I used this set for more stitched landscape shots, or less tighter cropped photos. The 300 with the extender was on the 7DMK2 most of the time. I thought I would use my wide angle but in the end, I think I might have used it once.

Amy is an educator. She teaches classes in Baton Rouge, Louisiana to experienced and non-experienced photographers. She has camera courses and needs to be able to help clients with various manufacturers. This was great because Amy was able to help many of us with out settings for the safari. Whether it was recommendations on focus settings or white balance out in the Mara, both Amy and David provided useful tips. Funnily enough, the week before most of the photographers at the camp were Nikon shooters, our week .. most of us were all Canon. Some of us even had the exact same set ups.

Between game drives we had some Lightroom tutorials from David. He went through his process on how he imports files, settings and editing. We also had a visit from Dr. Elena Chelysheva of the Mara Meru Cheetah Project. She gave a presentation on the history of the cheetah and it's status in the Masai Mara and in Meru National Park, also in Kenya. She is a passionately dedicated woman towards cheetah conservation and was a wealth of information. If you have an interest in cheetahs, you should check out their site and read about the work they are doing.

We had the same routine for six days but it was never repetitive. Every day is a different day. You can cover different areas but even in the same zone, there's always life and always something that wasn't there before. I didn't get to see an 'epic' crossing over the Mara River. The migration is never the same, from year to year or day to day. We also did get some rain which can cause the herd to not move, when they might have. I did see 3 smaller crossings, which was great. Sorry .. no crocodile snatches. Some of my compatriots did see a crock grab a young wildebeest and one even got a crock snatching a young gazelle but it didn't happen when I was there. There is protocol with all the guides from all the other camps. They stay back and allow the animals to choose their path and cross, once this is determined, they move in to get the 'pole position' for their clients, the BEST spot.

Some of us noticed some really bad behaviour by other drivers, especially a photographer in his personal vehicle. When choosing a safari, do some research (for MANY reasons) but also try and find reviews or information that would indicate that their drivers keep appropriate distance and mindful of the animals.

One of the other photographers, Cameron of Clownfishphotos, made a comment about how after the mid-week, time starts to go by really fast. Was he ever right. From Wednesday evening I had feelings of 'I need more time, I need more time'.

As I type this blog .. I admit, I am in withdrawal. Amy and David are doing their last group for the Migration Safari of 2016 and .. I just with I was back at camp. I'm already planning my next trip and it looks like I will be going to India for a week or so in May of 2017, to Rathambore Park with David again, to photograph .. TIGERS.

Can't wait!

2016 Fall Mini Session

September 03, 2016

After the success of last years sessions, I am please to be offering the same this coming Autumn. Like last year, I will be donating $100 from each session to Sit With Me Rescue.
We have several medical cases, which cost a lot of money monthly. Without ongoing donations from the public, these dogs would not have the chance to have a healthy + happy second chance.

I feel we can help contribute to their well being!

Are you looking for great photographs of your pet and would like to help out some dogs in need at the same time?

Sessions are short but SWEET. A central location in Ottawa. I have 4 dates available, these will vary depending on the fall foliage report for the Ottawa area.

All you need to do is contact me with your preferred date. The time of these shoots are between 11am - 3pm. A week after the shoot, I will send you a direct download link to 10 images. They are full resolution, printable up to 8X12 inches. I will also provide a web sized friendly version and a 5X7 magnet of your FAVOURITE shot.

Contact me today to book your session and help some dogs at the same time!

Some current Sit With Me dogs that require care

Gertrude

Gertrude came into rescue and not long after it was clear that she was unwell. After a couple trips to emergency, Gertrude was diagnosed with an insulinoma. This is a tumour found in the pancreas which secretes insulin causing Gertrude's blood sugar to drop extremely low. Gertrude has been seen by specialists and the best course of action to give her as long and happy life as possible at this point is medical management. Gertrude has started chemotherapy in conjunction with steroids to try and shrink the tumour and lessen the effects. So far, Gertrude is showing us resilience and bravery through her ordeal. Tail is always wagging and she is always looking for the next person to smother with her kisses. Chemo is about $400 per month and her emergency visits with specialists was about $3,000.

Aubrey

Aubrey came into rescue as an expected palliative dog. Her original vet exams before arriving in care revealed a large mass close to her uterus. However, once in care and after having settled in to her foster home, Aubrey went for a check up with our vets and the mass was gone! There is still a lot of unknowns with Aubrey and further tests to go through however, it seems at this point that the original mass felt might have simply been some inflamed and swollen tissue due to a hormone spike (heat or false pregnancy?). We should know more about what Aubrey's future hold in the next couple months!

Ben

Ben is 8.5 years old and came into rescue suffering from luxating patella's in both knees. Given the size of our boy and the pain these luxating patella's created, surgery was decided as the plan of action. Ben had his first knee done and the surgery was a full success. He will be having his second knee operated on very shortly. Cost of a surgery like Ben's is $2,400 per knee.

Arlo

Arlo is a gorgeous and sweet hound mix. At 5.5 years old, he is suffering from anal fistula's which are very difficult to treat. Ben has been followed by a dermatologist since March and we are still working on resolving his issues. Cost of Ben's monthly medication is $200 and he also has his dermatology consults and specialized tests which add up quickly.

Naya

Naya broke the heart of everyone in rescue when she arrived in care after being thrown out of a car. Naya's femur was broken and needed surgical correction to give this little girl some relief. Once her neurological symptoms from brain swelling due to being thrown out of a car resolved, Naya headed off into surgery. She also had a mammary mass removed which unfortunately came back malignant. Naya is currently undergoing chemo therapy (she's half way done and has had no side effects! Yeah!!!) and once this is done, her prognosis for her living a much longer life will look great! Naya's surgery cost $2,500 and her chemo treatments cost about $300 each.

Elliose

Elloise was surrendered by her family after she suffered and embolism causing her to loose function in her back legs. Since coming into rescue, Elloise has improved tremendously but has not regained full function of her back legs. To ensure Elloise stays healthy, she required hydrotherapy (doggy swimming!) twice a week. Elloise is hoping to find a forever home to call her own very soon where she can continue her swimming adventures with her family.

Cash

Cash has got to be the sweetest, cuddliest dog in town! But we knew early on when her arrived in rescue that something was a bit off with him. Extreme thirst and frequent urination lead us to the diagnosis of diabetes insipidus. Cash requires monthly medication to control his diabetes which costs about $100/month. Today, Cash is a normal dog who enjoys a great life! Out in search of his forever home who will love him to bits.

Matata

Matata is a senior pom who came into rescue with his best friend, Hakuna (another pom!). Matata suffers from heart disease but was also suffering from a very painful and infected mouth. After having had him in care for a couple months, it was decided to have Matata undergo anesthetic to take care of his rotting mouth (anesthetic is always risky but especially in senior dogs with heart issues). Leaving him suffer was just not an option. A dental of this magnitude is quite expensive and costs anywhere between $800 and $1,500. Matata will need life-long heart medication and is also being followed for a bladder stone which might need surgical intervention as well. With Matata, we are committed to giving his the best, pain free life possible for as long as possible.

The Weims | Avi & Tuya

August 30, 2016

Avi & Tuya are two beautiful Weimaraner sisters. From tree planting adventures in northern Ontario, finding bunnies in the backyard to bike 'walks' with their dad, they have a full life with a great family.

Lola & Smokey for adoption - Standard Poodles in Need

August 28, 2016

This is Lola and Smokey. They are two LOVELY poodles currently available for adoption through SPIN (Standard Poodles in Need). Although this rescue is based out of the greater Toronto area, one of their co-founders, Paula, found out about me through HeARTs Speaks' Photographer listings.

Name: Smokey
Age (years/months): 11 Years 4 Months
Name: Lola
Age (years/months): 10 Years 8 Months

Smokey and Lola are an amazing pair. Friendly, cuddly, energetic! Smokey is just about the most handsome standard poodle we've ever met! Due to a death in the family they find themselves in search of a place to retire. Since they are a bonded pair, we're looking for that special home, willing to take them both and love them unconditionally.

Smokey and Lola are friendly, happy, house trained. They will chase a squirrel or a rabbit if given the chance! Though they are 11 and 10 years old, they have a lot of life in them and are just looking for the perfect place to retire.

Please contact, via email, Standard Poodles in Need for more information on this bonded pair.

Nyla

June 29, 2016

Met up with Nylah and her humans on Sunday night. Nylah was the winner of Sit With Me's spring auction gift. Funds were raised for the rescue and we scheduled for a session at Pinhey's Point National Historical Site.

Nylah was very well behaved and was a super model to photograph. I'm glad to have been able to give this family some great memories and raise funds for rescue at the same time.

Some smiles for your day

June 28, 2016

Two boys and two girls

Malibu and Boz are two energetic males looking for a new home. Then we have the beautiful Meli & Delilah whom are also looking for a human to love them forever. Please contact Sit With Me for more information and see if you're a good match to any of these cuties.

Summer is here ... new dogs in rescue

June 11, 2016

Moving day is approaching in Quebec. The province is quite restrictive for rentals that allow pets. It seems to be more and more difficult every year. We have our frustrations with the public as well as many dogs get either left behind in the actual apartment (sometimes not being found by the landlord until days later) or genuinely not trying hard enough to find new accommodations that allow pets. I try not to be judgemental, as you never know the whole story but there is definitely a large problem with the accountability and responsibility towards their pets.

Some of the pretty faces below are dogs that just got pulled from our local shelter. Some have been with their foster homes for a short time, and a few for a bit longer. Foster homes are vital to Sit With Me's programme. It allows the dog to 'decompress' after having massive changes in their lives. It allows them to become comfortable, settle and allow for a more accurate behaviour and medical assessment. With this knowledge, there is more success in adoption placement.

The hardest dogs to place are pit bull type dogs. They cannot be adopted in Ontario, due to breed specific legislation, and therefore our main province is exempt. We adopt out to responsible homes in Quebec, but even in that province there are municipal bylaws that restrict the 'type' as well. We partner with Pit Bulls for Life in Edmonton Alberta. When possible, we facilitate transport via airline to the rescue for either adoption or homes they have ready to foster - and being allowed a larger audience to meet and view the adoptables.

You will see many pittie types on this site, that I photograph. I try so hard for them because there are so many whom are wonderful and friendly and have been looked over, not because of anything they have ever done, but because of the publics perception (largely due to 30+ years of ignorant media reporting).

They are ... just ... dogs. They are absolutely strong ... but so are many other breeds, some even stronger. A dangerous dog is dangerous due to exposure in it's life, sometimes genetic but more often by mistreatment. It's not dangerous because of what it looks like.

Canvases for sale

June 07, 2016

I currently have 3 canvases for sale from my exhibition at the airport last year. If you are local to the Ottawa area we can arrange for delivery.

Mer Bleue Bog panoramic canvas$300.0063 inches W x 18 inches H x .75 inch DLarge panoramic photo wrap canvas of Mer Bleue Bog in the Ottawa's Greenbelt. — Mer Bleue Bog panoramic canvas
**$300.00**
63 inches W x 18 inches H x .75 inch D
Large panoramic photo wrap canvas of Mer Bleue Bog in the Ottawa's Greenbelt.

Parliament Hill in the fall canvas$160.0029 inches W x 18 inches H x .75 inch DPhoto canvas of Parliament Hill. White border. — Parliament Hill in the fall canvas
**$160.00**
29 inches W x 18 inches H x .75 inch D
Photo canvas of Parliament Hill. White border.

Cormorants in Bic National Park, Quebec canvas$160.0029 inches W x 18 inches H x .75 inch DPhoto canvas of cormorants jumping off a rock in Bic National Park, Quebec. White border. — Cormorants in Bic National Park, Quebec canvas
$160.00
29 inches W x 18 inches H x .75 inch D
Photo canvas of cormorants jumping off a rock in Bic National Park, Quebec. White border.

New faces in rescue

April 17, 2016 in Dog Rescue

Had a visit to a local shelter last weekend and got to photograph some sweet dogs. Within a week, the Husky and the Beagle are with now with Sit With Me Rescue (The Shepherd-mix is already with Sit With Me), the Boxer-mix is with Valley Animal Rescue, the brindle Terrier-mix is with the Montreal SPCA and the Chihuahua is with BARK Rescue. Thank you to all the rescues for helping out and taking these dogs.

Please consider adoption.

Looking for a forever home

March 24, 2016

We have some new faces at Sit With Me. I sent a message out to current fosters the other week to see if they could swing by my place with their dog for some updated profile shots. Foster homes are vital to most rescues, without them .. they would not be able to save the dogs that they do. Fosters help shape the behaviour of the dog, give them a loving and safe environment and prepare them for their new life, a better one.

Thank you to all the fosters who help make Sit With Me a rescue worth volunteering for.

New year, new faces

January 06, 2016

I decided to set up a photoshoot day for Sit With Me on Sunday. I knew a lot of the puppies, currently in their care, were getting ready for adoption and wanted to get some photos ready for their online posts. Last fall, with overlapping ages, some by a few weeks .. some by days, Sit With Me found themselves with about 37 puppies. Three of those litters had no nursing mother. A lot of hard work and dedication was provided by foster homes. In the next few weeks Sit With Me will be posting the puppies and trying to find forever homes for them.

Along with the puppies, I did a last minute call out to any other fosters (no puppiness required) who needed a photo as well. In the end, I photographed over 31 dogs. A few more will trickle in this week but I wanted to take this opportunity to thank everyone who supports my work and to spread the word if you know anyone looking to adopt a dog into their home.

There are many dogs waiting in shelters that still need help. Sit With Me is volunteer based so dogs that pass assessment can only be moved into homes once there is room. Please help promote responsible adoption and check out Sit With Me's current roster of available dogs.

Lucy, pt. 2

January 01, 2016

Ryan and I have been here before. Here as in, this emotional experience. We had previously fostered Lucy in late 2013 for about 5 months and almost exactly 2 years ago, Lucy was adopted. Unfortunately, sometimes circumstances happen in life and Lucy ended up back with Sit With Me this summer. It was very frustrating and unfortunate BUT we were ready to collect her and bring her home, again.

Lucy has a true Pyrenean Mountain Dog personality. She is completely devoted to her family, stubborn, loyal and will bark and anything she is concerned about .. especially squirrels in her backyard. She was always good with her foster canine siblings but never cuddly. She is respectful of her own and other dogs space but her real love comes out for her humans. She is a velcro dog. She loves to be around and watch over her family. We knew that she would require a special family that understood her and would work with her to make the circle complete.

As I don't believe in superstition, I can type and post this with no concern that it will affect her eventual outcome. Tomorrow, myself and Mel (Sit With Me) will travel to Montreal to do a possible adoption trial. I have prepared myself that the next 24hrs will be our last time together. I managed to get some shots of her and the other dogs in the backyard this afternoon. I was watching her and kept thinking how much I am going to miss her ... happy for her, but miss her deeply.

I have had people ask "Why don't you keep her?". I have definitely thought about it but we currently have 3 dogs and feel that is enough. We want to be able to foster for Sit With Me and we don't believe that would be possible if we kept her. We also know that even though she is very loved, she would be better off in a home where she was the only dog, or maybe 1 other. Far more attention and focus on just her.

So .. tomorrow might work out, it might now. I think it will but ... who knows. She will either be coming back with us, staying for a trial in which it will work out, or it won't. Either way ... she will always have a home, here.

Helping out in 2015

December 31, 2015

The majority of my photography work is towards helping dogs get noticed and adopted, quicker. I am incredibly proud of working with Sit With Me and helping them out in any way I can. Volunteering for an animal rescue can be emotionally draining. There are incredibly happy times and there are times that just literally deflates you. I know of photographers who suffer from post-traumatic stress from the experiences they have witnessed and photographed. I, fortunately, have not had that experience. I find the hard times are great motivators for helping out even more.

When I get told my Sit With Me coordinators that my photos have helped get an otherwise overlooked dog get adopted .. mission accomplished. It's always the best news of the day and that's my purpose.

Here are some of the faces of 2015. Some are photos taken at various shelters when we have gone to do behaviour assessments. Those dogs might have gone to other rescues in the end but I have included them in this collage because it is Sit With Me who sends their volunteers to do the assessments, write up the notes, send out to other rescues with photos and often coordinate the transportation.

When I look at the faces of these dogs, I am thankful they have volunteers with Sit With Me and other rescues/individuals who look out for them every day.

The Otterhounds of Pakenham

December 04, 2015

Two weeks ago, on a beautiful morning in Pakenham, I got to meet this lovely trio and their friend Charlotte. They are so fortunate to have such a great property to run, sniff and frolic in. They are such good dogs and it to be able to photograph them in their element, just being themselves, was such a treat. It was also my first time meeting an Otterhound.

I thought this would be the last fall session of the year, but I did have another a week later, which I will post in a few days. From now on in ... for outdoor shoots, if you are interested in booking me, we should wait until we get a good amount of snow. Winter sessions are not as common as summer/fall but there are still loads of opportunities for great photos of your pet outdoors.

Fall 2015 Sessions

October 27, 2015

Met many dogs over the past couple of weeks. Here's a collage of their beautiful faces! While there are still leaves in the trees, I am able to fit in a few more sessions. Contact me for details.

and then there were 37

September 15, 2015

In the past 2 months, Sit With Me has unexpectedly taken in 5 litters of puppies. This is incredibly taxing on so many people so please continue to read and perhaps you can help?

The first litter came in July. They are now known as the Minion Litter. There are 5 in total, 3 males and 2 females. They no longer have a mother, she died during a trip with the previous owners and the pups were only days old. They were brought to a shelter who couldn't take care of the puppies for weeks, around the clock, so they reached out to Sit With Me. The pups are now 7 weeks old and are split into two foster homes whom live close to each other for play dates. These puppies had to be fed with formula, burped and cleaned every 2 hours. A lot of work!

The second litter comes in early August and is the Pokemon litter. These pups as well, have no mother. She didn't die but she did maul one of the pups when they were only a couple of days old. The mauling was severe and the owner felt the pups weren't safe. They were surrendered to a shelter whom, like the other shelter, had no resources to hand raise the puppies. There are 5 in this litter, including the mauled puppy. She sadly has had to lose both her eyes but is in good hands and has incredible will to live and fight off the infections she's endured. Currently the injured pup and a littermate are being fostered by a vet tech. The other 3 are together with a foster home.

The third litter is Marion's puppies. Marion was a pregnant Boxer whom was picked up as a stray. She gave birth in the shelter and needed to be moved fast. Sit With Me found a foster spot within their volunteers so they made the several hour journey to pick her up with the puppies. Marion had 6 puppies and even though she was pretty scared when she first arrived, she has settled in and is being a good mother to her pups.

The fourth litter are 10 puppies that were left in a cardboard box, in an alleyway. Completely abandoned they were discovered, picked up and brought to the local shelter. These puppies were 2 days old. Blind, deaf and completely helpless. A massive call for fosters was made internally. After 3 days in a home with a SWM member (with round the clock feedings, and cleaning of 10 hungry and stinky bums, 4 foster homes were found and the pups were split into groups. They are currently being taken care of by dedicated foster mums who probably have lacked a bit of sleep this week.

The fifth litter is Emma's litter. Emma was left at a shelter by her previous owner .. very pregnant. Sit With Me organized a foster home (unsure of how many puppies she had) for her and last week she gave birth to 13 puppies. Yes, 13. Sadly 2 didn't make it .. despite the efforts of two SWM members. However there are 11 beautiful puppies with incredible colouring and markings. Like all the other litters, they are mixed breeds and unknown at this time. Emma is being a fantastic mum, like Marion, and has her own space at her foster home where she can sneak away for a puppy break.

So .. lots of puppies. There are 37. Currently Sit With Me has reached out to many pet stores across Ottawa to provide drop off locations for donations.

Love Your Pet in Kemptville
Barrkhaven in Barrhaven
Global Pet Foods Kanata (Eagleson Road)
Global Pet Foods Hintonburg
Chew-That in Riverside South
Chew 'n Do in Manotick
Pet Valu in Elm Vale Acres
Pet Valu in Orleans on Innes Rd.
Healthy Pets HQ 420 Bank St. - Downtown.
Cricket & Company - 21 Murray St. -Downtown
Carleton Place Veterinary Hospital 120 Coleman St in Carleton Place

Here is a list of items they are currently looking for. If you have something that might be appropriate to donate, you can bring to any of the places above and just say it's for the "Sit With Me litters'

puppy pads
cans of puppy food (ie.Wellness puppy or any mousse like puppy food)
high quality puppy or all stages kibble (the pet stores listed above can help suggest great brands).
crates (24" long or greater)
baby wipes
grocery store gift cards (natural homemade baby formula is pricey)
paper towels
laundry detergent
gentle cleaning supplies
safe chew toys for puppies.
new small soft polar fleece blankets

Financial donations over $20 receive charitable tax receipts (paypal or email transfer to sitwithmerescue@gmail

Fall Pet Sessions

September 02, 2015

Yes .. when the leaves fall we can collectively sigh (Game of Thrones fan or not) that

"Winter is coming!"

However, before the impending cold, we have a beautiful season where nature goes on full display in Eastern Ontario. Genuinely, it’s my favourite time of year.

Fall sessions this year will be at a beautiful location, a few minutes south of Hunt Club. I have allocated the 17th & 18th of October for the photo shoots, rain date will be the following weekend, October 24th–25th.

Sessions will be 20 minutes each. You will receive a digital download link, 10 full resolution (8X12) files with a print release PDF in order to go to your preferred lab. You will also receive a 4x6 inch magnet of your favourite image.

I volunteer for a dog rescue group called Sit With Me. They have recently taken on several litters of puppies from various shelters, two litters are orphans and require constant care. Another litter was born in a shelter but now safe in a loving foster home with the mum. $100 of each session will be donated to them to help with the care of their dogs in need.

Please email me at info@sarahoneillphotography.com for your booking, $100 deposit required (email transfer or paypal).

Sit With Me's 3rd Birthday

August 16, 2015

Sit With Me Shelter Dog Rescue had their 3rd birthday today at Laroche Park in Ottawa. It was great to see so many people come out and help support our rescue group who has so many volunteers behind the scenes. Volunteers whom mostly all work full time jobs PLUS helping save the lives of dogs with no time left in our local shelters. There were activities for people and pets and Chuck Desjardins Photography was taking professional photos for the afternoon. A BBQ with meat from the Manotick Butcher, loot bags, Crazy Beautiful Collars and much more. Here are some photos of the very, very hot afternoon. The park had many mature trees throughout so people and pooches could cool down, which was very nice as well as a bit of breeze here and there.

I had two of my previous fosters show up, Robyn and Wylie and it warms my heart when these reunions happen. Many dogs I have photographed in the past have been adopted but there are still many more that are waiting.

If you are considering adopting a dog, I ask you to consider Sit With Me. Check out their Facebook page for their ADOPTABLES album and see if there is someone in there that might suit your lifestyle.

Bart

June 06, 2015

What a gorgeous dog! Bart is (his owners think) a 5 year old Rhodesian Boxer cross. Such a friendly guy and had a lovely session with him and his family. Super playful and obedient, photographing him in their nice backyard was a dream. Can't wait to see their print matted and framed.