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Saturday, June 4, 2011

An Act of Dog

During one of my routine perusals of Facebook, I came across a picture.  Of course the picture is of an animal.  I am certain that does not surprise anyone who knows me or knows my blog.  But it is not a photograph, it is a painting.  The face is just stunning as it peers out from behind bars.



I look into the eyes of that dog, and even though it is hand drawn, and not a photo, the emotions seeping out of this dog are tangible.  This little dog should be in some one's lap, not locked in a kennel somewhere, homeless.   The picture had obviously grabbed my attention, so I clicked on the attached link.  Often, links like this will lead you to a story with a happy ending.  The dog was painted by a local artist, a story was on the news about the artist's work, and suddenly fifty people wanted to adopt the dog in the portrait.

After clicking, I came to a website: www.anactofdog.com .  The gentleman, Mark Barone, is an artist and avid dog lover in Kentucky who has partnered with Marina Dervan, another animal lover and activist.   The portraits Mark paints are endearing, but not just because of the lifelike expression on the animals' faces.  The portraits are endearing because they are of dogs that were euthanized, dogs that were killed while awaiting a family in an animal shelter.

Each and every portrait, each face, each pair of eyes peering out from the canvas is a life lost, a love lost. 



The above portrait, the one that caught my eye, is of Pat. He was killed February 13, 2011, because no one chose to bring him home.

There are more faces put to canvas...

Petey, Killed 2/13/2011

Roscoe, Killed 10/21/2010


Bruce, Killed 12/8/2010

I know what you are probably thinking right now... "But Lisa, aren't these pit bulls?   We cannot save them!"  Perhaps you are uneducated enough to have succumbed to the idiotic stereotype that pitties are all vicious, and you would never take one home.  Or perhaps you are a rescuer, not unlike myself, that sighs when you see a pittie who needs a home because they can be difficult to place for SO many reasons that do not include their temperament.  So let us temporarily forget about the forgotten pit bulls.

Let's keep looking at this gentleman's artwork...

Perhaps a Schnauzer would be more to your liking?

Eli, Killed 11/23/2010
Or a Chihuahua that someone had fed very well prior to her arrival at the shelter...

Star, Killed 11/4/2010

A German Shepherd with a smile should be easy to place into a home...

Rocky, Killed 11/10/2010
Or a beagle whose shadow even scares him...

Roy, Killed 11/2/2010

How about a Miniature Pincher that is so scared of the shelter ID collar and tag around his neck he cannot even lift his Dumbo-like ears...

Juicy, Killed 11/10/2010
Or any mixed breed puppy...

Buddy, Killed 11/7/2010

How about another Chihuahua?  He comes with a harness that was probably put in place by his owner and has been worn for years...

Cole, Killed 11/4/2010
Or a Boxer who has obviously struggled to survive, just skin and bones, but did not survive his visit to the local shelter...
Sydney, Killed 2/13/2011

If none of these faces appeal to you, then perhaps my blog is not one you should be reading.  If you are shocked by the adorable faces you see, faces that needed someone just like you, faces that never left the shelter, then you should keep reading.

Dogs and cats are being routinely killed in local shelters everywhere!  There is something wrong with a system that finds death to be a more humane outcome than commitment and dedication to the life they hold. 

Think you cannot help?  "I don't have any spare time, or any money to spare... It is just too emotional for me." Then these faces should be what you see as you try to fall asleep tonight. 

There are SO many things you can do.  Need some ideas?  Visit our previous blog by clicking here: "Help Your Local Animal Shelter While on a Budget" 

Just like Mark Barone, anyone can be creative and help animals, it just takes some soul searching.  He is producing 5500 portraits, commemorating the 5500 dogs put to death each DAY in shelters in our United States.  Mark Barone is donating 100% of the proceeds from the sale of these portraits to organisations working towards a No-Kill-Nation.

Mark is painting portraits of love lost.  Each portrait is going to be displayed in an art exhibit.  Each face is going to be witnessed by hundreds or perhaps thousands of people.  If only a small percentage of these people become active in animal welfare, the benefits could be enormous!  If a small percentage of people learned to ask the right questions about their local shelter, the benefits would be amazing!  The faces seen in this two football field length exhibit, commemorate the dogs that die in one single day in shelters, shelters that are funded by our tax dollars and your donations to care for our lost and homeless animals.   Are you really okay with that? 

Before choosing which shelter or rescue to help, visit this article: What is in a name?  Know what questions to ask, before you write a check or donate your time.

If the benefits of this exhibit resulted in leaving a blank canvas, it would be the most priceless print in this collection.  It would be an Act of DOG.

Now I am going to shed 5500 tears...
"Imagine standing in an Exhibit that is ... two football fields long and over ten feet in height. These paintings represent less than 1% of what the actual exhibit will be. The final exhibition will be a haunting memorial and tribute to all of our beloved pets, who were needlessly killed and robbed of their right to life."  Mark Barone


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15 comments:

Pat Goldberg said...

Love those pictures

Marina said...

How beautiful and eloquent Lisa! I appreciate your thoughtfulness and desire to spread our project to all who care to listen and make a difference. Thank you deeply

Kristen said...

These faces break my heart.

Amanda McPherson said...

This blog was so well written and those portraits broke my heart.

Mary Maloney said...

I am a painter and I paint portraits of loved dogs for their owners. These dogs have shining eyes and wonderful smiles. The paintings below break my heart. Their sadness is palpable. I do what I can,spaying and neutering feral cats and have a colony I care for. If we each did something,anything it would help

Marguerite McGrath said...

Artists have a variety of ways of communicating with society. Memorializing the senseless deaths of killed pets that were perfectly healthy and perfectly adoptable is just one way. Here is a group that doesn't want to memorialize dead dogs. These artists want to help them get out of the shelters and rescues. Here is how they do it: http://www.facebook.com/l/9b06f/artforshelteranimals.blogspot.com/search/label/promotional%2520aids

Shevaun Bastarache said...

Those portraits will bring tears to any eyes. And joy too - they are so beautiful. I'm planning to buy one when I'm able to. Its on my 'Bucket list'...

Amy Haas-Gray said...

Another awesome blog about the plight of homeless animals in the shelters funded by YOUR tax dollars!

Tammy Hartwig said...

I have fostered "last chance" dogs for over 7 years and as many as I have saved, it breaks my heart that there are so many more I can't save. If I can't get them out, they go down. However, these are dogs that are not adoptable without rehab; there are SOOO many great dogs & cats that are needlessly euthanized with their final resting place a landfill. There's no respect or dignity for these precious lives and it makes me angry about just how 'disposable' pets have become and many shelters/rescues have helped this process along.

This artist is wonderful and I can definitely see why that picture captured your attention.

Tammy

Nan Sea Love said...

A friend sent me your blog. Want to share it on my art fan page where i feature artists helping animals and the planet. already sent request to Mark. ♥

Betsey Butler said...

thanks--I got a message from Mark about this exhibit--hadn't gotten around to looking at it yet--thanks again for the wake-up call!!!

Marilyn Kiefer said...

This was so sad - i can't get those faces out of my mind. Wish i could go back in a time machine and rescue them.

Sharron V Marshall said...

this made me cry. All our babies are rescues, including my horses who is an ex racehorse - destined for pet food. They give their hearts & souls to us humans & we betray them....

Arlene Meyers Silva said...

excellent - sharing...

Linda Forward said...

Thank you for calling attention to this man's work. What an act of love. Heartbreaking and inspiring at the same time. I rescue Greyhounds and horses. I wish I had the funds and space to take them all