LONG ISLAND NEWBORN AND PET PHOTOGRAPHER - LAURA PEA PHOTOGRAPHY
  • Home
  • Galleries
    • Pets
    • Babies
  • About
  • FAQ
    • Pets FAQ
    • Babies FAQ
  • Investment
  • Blog
  • Contact

My Girl Gracey's First Adoptaversary

8/21/2018

0 Comments

 
One year ago today, I adopted my little Gracey. 
​As you might know, I began doing pet photography after the loss of my beloved dog Basil to cancer in February of 2016. One of my only comforts after he passed was that I had so many great photos of him, and I wanted to be able to give that to other families in my community. I knew I eventually wanted to adopt and save another dog, but for a very long time, I couldn’t face the prospect of loving another dog when I was still so heartbroken over Basil.
​

But then in August of 2017, I dogsat my friend’s two dogs while she was on a trip and I realized how much I missed having a dog in the house, how much joy they bring just by being there. So when my sister suggested we go to a Clear the Shelters event at Little Shelter called Pet-a-Palooza, I was hesitant but I agreed to go.
A volunteer led us around the facility and outdoors to a ring of cages that had been set up for the event. Every single dog was adorable, but not all met the criteria I was looking for. I also hadn’t had that moment. It’s hard to explain to someone who has never adopted a dog, but it’s a feeling of instant connection. I had been to Kent Animal Shelter a few weeks before and had met a great dog that checked all my boxes, but I just didn’t have that feeling.

When I first saw Gracey, she wasn’t even facing in my direction. I saw a skinny, copper-colored little dog with crazy long legs. The name on her cage was “Sarah”. I told my sister, “That dog looks like a spider monkey with those long legs”.
​ I told the shelter worker, “Tell me about Sarah”.
Picture
Gracey's photo on Little Shelter's website, when she was still going by "Sarah".
Picture
Our first photo together, during the car ride home from Little Shelter.
He filled me in on her history. She was rescued from a high kill shelter in Dallas, Texas. When they got her to Little Shelter, she was underweight, she wasn’t spayed, her nails were very long and she needed surgery for a hernia. They thought she was about 2 and their best guess is she's predominantly Chihuahua, but mixed with something else because she's bigger than a typical Chihuahua. When he got her out of the cage to meet me, she leaned on my legs and looked up at me and I had that moment. I put in an application right then.
The next day, the shelter called me to let me know my application was approved. The day after that, on the day of the solar eclipse, she got her forever home.

Gracey’s former life is a mystery to me, but her trainer tells me her behavior shows signs that she suffered some abuse in the past. Because of that, she has fear issues. If someone startles her, she sometimes tries to nip. At times, Gracey forgets that she’s safe, but I’m trying hard to remind her that she has nothing to fear anymore. 

I still miss and love Basil so much. He was the first dog I ever adopted as an adult, and who was mine alone. He was an angel and I think about him every day. I made the decision to not let my sadness over Basil prevent me from ever adopting a dog again, and it was the right move. I love Gracey just as much as I loved Basil, but in a completely different way, because every dog has a unique personality and heart. I'm so glad I adopted her, because she makes every day a little happier, just by being there and being her silly, weird, loving little self. 
Here are some of my favorite photos I've taken of Gracey throughout our first year together. 
In a year, Gracey has put on 6 pounds to reach a normal weight, she's learned all her basic commands (except lay down, she just can't get it), and she frequently takes part in doggy social hours hosted by her trainer to help her learn how to socialize with other dogs. She loves to ride in the car, take walks and incessantly squeak her vast collection of toys. She finds the mushrooms in our back yard delectable, so I have to go out there every few days and pull them out of the ground to make sure she doesn't eat them and get sick. She's so good at finding them, I feel like I could get her a job as a truffle pig. She's incredibly cuddly and loves to burrow under blankets. She loves to be in the studio with me so much, I started to call her the "Chief Canine Officer" of Laura Pea Photography. I can't tell you how much I love her. I hope we get to celebrate many many more adoptaversaries together. 

Do you have a furry friend that makes every day happier? Schedule a pet portrait session for them today. Email me at laurapeaphotography@gmail.com or call me at (631)256-7476. 

0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Laura Paesano
    Long Island, NY

    Picture
    Laura Pea Photography

    Categories

    All
    Cats
    Dogs
    Events
    Families
    Holidays
    Infants
    Kids
    Long Island
    Maternity
    Newborns
    Pets
    Photography
    Photo Spots
    Printables
    Products
    Toddlers

    Archives

    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    April 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    October 2014

    Flickr
Email LauraPeaPhotography@gmail.com or call 631-256-7476
All images copyright 2020 Laura Pea Photography
Contact Laura here.
Privacy Policy
  • Home
  • Galleries
    • Pets
    • Babies
  • About
  • FAQ
    • Pets FAQ
    • Babies FAQ
  • Investment
  • Blog
  • Contact