Dogs Unleashed Photography Exhibition Rosebank

Adopted pedigree dogs on show at the FotoZa Gallery in Rosebank, Johannesburg

I’m no stranger to the world of rescue dogs. I share my home with five and for the past decade I’ve been regularly photographing dogs (mostly of the mixed breed variety) in need of homes at CLAW (Community Led Animal Welfare), Sandton SPCA and a collection of other shelters in South Africa.

Enzo – Boston Terrier – Adopted from Animal Ambulance – left behind when his family emigrated

In preparation for my new photography exhibition at the Foto ZA Gallery, I decided to shift my focus to the realm of purebred dog adoption and what I discovered in the process was alarming to say the least.

Whilst mixed breed dogs often find themselves unwanted and surrendered to shelters across the country thanks to unchecked breeding, they have no intrinsic saleable value which puts them at a disadvantage when it comes to adoptees wanting a dog of a specific breed and a clear advantage because, unlike their pedigree counterparts, they can’t be traded like commodities.

Queenie – Chihuahua – Adopted from Tiny Paws – used for breeding until she got too old

During the process of creating my new series of work, Dogs Unleashed, I discovered that the previously unwanted pedigree dogs I photographed found themselves in need of rehoming for three main reasons: a lack of understanding of breed specific requirements meaning owners couldn’t cope, no longer being of financial use to a breeder and puppy mill & backyard breeders closing or offloading their dogs.

Hunter – German Shorthaired Pointer – Adopted from GSP Rescue – surrendered because the Pitbull on the property kept attacking him

Firstly, it’s essential to research the dog breed you’re considering acquiring. One of my models, Leila the Bluetick Coonhound is now in her seventh (and forever) home. Coonhounds are similar to German Shorthaired Pointers in that they are extremely active and need A LOT of physical and mental stimulation. As a result of originally being acquired by people who had no understanding of the breed, Leila scaled walls, escaped multiple times and got herself caught in snares whilst out and about. Her unruly (and quite natural) behaviour led to her being given up repeatedly. This is a common problem for active, busy, working breeds.

Leila – Bluetick Coonhound – Adopted from Sunshine Animal Rescue – The Crags – now in her 7th and forever home

Bonnie – Basset Hound – Adopted from SA Basset Adoptions – found wandering the streets close to a backyard breeding facility she had (presumably) escaped from

As well as making sure you choose the right breed for you and your family, choosing the right breeder is essential. Not all breeders have their dogs’ best interests at heart, many are simply motivated by the money they can earn from selling puppies with no care for the welfare of their breeding dogs. Take Brooklyn the Bulldog who was being sold by her owners on Facebook for R8000 with the caveat that she was probably pregnant by the owners’ other Bulldog and the puppies could be ‘sold for upwards of R10 000’.

Lisa – Schnauzer – adopted from Schnauzer Rescue – used by a puppy mill until she got too old (she’s 9).

Linka the Vizsla (below), Maverick the Toy Poodle (top of the page) and Lisa the Schnauzer (above) were all given up for adoption once they were no longer financially useful to their breeders. Linka has a broken jaw (presumably from being kicked) and both Maverick and Lisa spent their lives in a backyard producing puppies. Getting adopted in their senior years is the first time they’ve been part of a family. When you, often unwittingly, financially support breeders who are solely motivated by profit, by buying puppies from them, you’re supporting animal exploitation and cruelty.

Linka – Hungarian Vizsla – Adopted from GSP Rescue after spending 9 years of her life in a backyard producing puppies

Nova – Pug – adopted from Pug Rescue – surrendered by his previous owner

KUSA registration is meaningless when it comes to the welfare standards of a pedigree dog breeder, so doing your homework is essential.

As a champion of the adopt don’t shop message, I’ll always encourage you to adopt your dog breed of choice. A quick Facebook or Google search will tell you that there’s a rescue organisation for your favourite breed and sometimes they even have puppies available (I’ve shared a list of South African rescues at the bottom of this post).

Brooklyn Stella – English Bulldog – rescued by and adopted from Bulldog Rescue Angels after she was being sold on Facebook

If you have your heart set on a particular breed of puppy, there are plenty of responsible breeders out there, here’s how to spot one:

You’ll likely be added to a waitlist
Visiting the mom and pups at their premises won’t be an issue
Pups will only be available from 8 weeks old (10 to 12 weeks is preferable)
You’ll be able to collect your puppy from them
The breeder will ask you to sign a contract that stipulates your pup being sterilised, that you can’t breed with your pup and that should you no longer be able to care for your pup, you’ll return the dog to them
They’ll ask you for references from your vet
You’ll receive proof that both the pup’s parents were screened and cleared of breed specific genetic problems
They won’t be selling a collection of different dog breeds

Akela – Rottweiler – adopted from Friends of the Rottweiler Rescue – her history isn’t known

As dog lovers, we have the power to protect the welfare of animals in South Africa by making more informed and ethical choices, hopefully my new project promotes doing just that.

I photographed 68 dogs for the Dogs Unleashed series, I’ve shared a few of them here and you can find more over on my Facebook page and IG feed @emmaobrienphoto