Free of charge, a photographer in the metro Detroit area is documenting the relationship that exists between dog owners and their aged companions.
In a new initiative, Julia Earhart has begun to provide pet parents with free “end-of-life photos,” which enable dog owners to memorialize their elderly or terminally ill dogs in a unique and heartfelt manner.
According to The Detroit News, the Dearborn, Michigan, homeowner has two golden retrievers: Benny, who is two years old, and Bonnie, who is one year old and a golden retriever-mix.
Earhart has always had a soft spot for animals, and she has shown her affection for them by sponsoring elderly dogs and donating to animal rescue organizations.
Free picture sessions for dogs and their owners are just another opportunity for the photographer to give back to the animals and the people who appreciate them.
Earhart began doing free photoshoots when Annelise Nearon requested that the photographer document the last days of her Lab mix, Cudi, who was eight years old at the time. The dog had been diagnosed with terminal cancer only days before the production began.
“After that session, it made me understand how how crucial your link with your animal, who may sometimes be your greatest buddy, can be,” Earhart told The Detroit News, citing his own experience.
“Photos aren’t something that a lot of pet owners would think about doing, but I know how much I like my dogs and how much it would mean to me if someone took photos of them.”
Earhart captures dog owners and their pets enjoying their favorite activities together.
In the instance of Nearon and Cudi, Earhart caught images of the two cuddling and strolling side by side in a park.
Following the photoshoot with Nearson and her dog, Earhart began sharing her pet images on a Facebook page called Downriver and Friends, where she also provided free sessions at no cost.
This is how the photographer’s passion project got its start, and it is still going strong today.
Even while shooting dogs and their owners through terrible times might be challenging, Earhart told The Detroit News that it also provides her a great deal of pleasure.
For the time being, she is not concerned that the free photoshoots would be a diversion from her company, as she said to a news outlet: “People could say things like, ‘Oh, it’s just a dog, what’s the big deal?’ But for a lot of people, their pet is their family member or their child.”
“There is a genuine connection and a great deal of emotion that may be evoked in us by these creatures. As a photographer, were you there to witness it? It gives me a great deal of pleasure “She went on to say more.
