Stunning Portraits Of Shelter Dogs Capture The Heartbreaking Sorrow Of Pups Awaiting Adoption
Traer Scott has a way of making shelter dogs look unforgettable. Her black-and-white portraits turn quiet kennel moments into something deeply emotional, and the result is a story that lingers long after the page is turned.
After the success of Finding Home, Scott revisited the dogs she photographed in Shelter Dogs and followed their journeys into adoption. The new book keeps the same striking style, but it also adds more of the dogs' stories and the people who helped them along the way.
What makes the project hit so hard is the mix of sorrow and hope in every image. These dogs are still waiting for their chance, and each portrait makes that wait feel personal.
Callie
Gypsy
Dutch
"When I made Shelter Dogs, I was in a desperate situation as one of two volunteers at a municipal shelter that was constantly full of unwanted dogs," Traer explained. "It was a very hostile climate, and we were fairly powerless to truly help, so many of the animals didn't make it out."
"At that point in my life, I would sit worrying every night about the dogs, knowing that if I didn't go in the next day, they literally wouldn't get out of their kennels for another 24 hours. Now, I simply volunteer as a photographer for a shelter.
"I come in every few weeks, take some photos, and then deliver them," Traer said. "I'm not on the front lines making life-and-death decisions for dogs anymore, which is wonderful."
"So when I made this book, I was able to approach it more as a documentarian rather than someone who is still living the struggle. I think I was able to create better pictures and write from a more intellectual perspective because of the distance I was able to have from the subject matter."
That shift in perspective changed the tone of the project.
Nala
Layla
Bandit
"I think people are much more educated about adoption and the plight of homeless animals than they were ten years ago," Traer said of her reasons for telling the dogs' stories. "The national adoption numbers reflect that, but obviously, we're just not there yet, as millions of animals are still euthanized in the U.S. every year."
This mirrors the man who kept filling his home with rescued animals despite the odds.
The message is still painfully relevant.
Cody
Salt
Chewy
Jade
Flynn
Finding Home: Shelter Dogs and Their Stories by Traer Scott
"One of the things I wanted to do with this book was to tell the stories of some of the shelter 'archetypes,' specifically focusing on categories of dogs that have the most trouble getting adopted." Traer hopes that her books will move people and inspire them to embrace adoption.
"Of course, I hope that the book inspires people to adopt or to volunteer. But maybe it will also cause someone to look a little closer at that dog they might have walked by at the shelter."
You can find more about Traer Scott and her beautiful work on her website, Facebook, and Instagram. Finding Home is available from Princeton Architectural Press, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble.
These portraits make it hard to look away.
And for the happy ending after those “24 hours in kennels,” see the couple who finally met their rescue dog at the adoption event.
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