I photographed so many adorable faces this week at Alchemy Acres in Salem, Ohio. It becomes harder and harder every time I go, to not take one of the animals (or all of them for that matter) home with me!

The stories of these animals always breaks my heart, but I am so happy to hear they have made their way to the shelter in search of the perfect pet owners for them. I had already photographed Lizzy’s puppies a few months back and this time heard the story of how they all ended up at Alchemy. Lizzy had been hanging around St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in downtown Youngstown for some time. Some of the hospital staff there started feeding her, but never got too close because they believed she was a feral dog. At one point, Lizzy made a home inside of an old, rotted tree. Next thing the staff knew, she had a litter of puppies in there with her! The staff at Alchemy was able to take in both her and her puppies. They have been working with Lizzy since she arrived to see if it was possible to turn this maybe ferrel dog into a loving companion. Their hard work is paying off! I was able to pet her and photograph her without any issues. This cutie is all bark and no bite. She raises her voice at new people, but after a few minutes she is content with a nice belly rub.

Towards the end of my time at the rescue the other day, they asked if I would like to photograph something a little different. Zebra finches to be exact. We set up the bird cages on the same table that I use to photograph the cats. I was able to slide my camera lens into a small opening of the cage and started snapping way. I was excited to see the results from my first bird shoot!

Below are just some of the many animals up for adoption at Alchemy Acres. Hopefully all will find their forever homes very soon!