Local photographer snaps into action to boost pet adoptions

PEKIN (25News Now) – Tazewell Animal Protective Society, TAPS, has seen a decline in the number of people interested in adopting animals, but a pet photographer is helping these furry friends find homes one snapshot at a time.

“It means a lot to me. I feel like I’m doing a great job, and hearing I came down because I saw this photo of this dog,” said Cheryl Linton, owner of Legacies’ Photography.

Linton, a professional pet photographer, has volunteered with local animal shelters for the past ten years.

“What I want to do is work with animals and help animals. I came down to TAPS as a volunteer. They didn’t even know I took photos until I walked through the door; once they found out I took photos, that was it,” said Linton.

Being in the industry for a decade, Linton has developed techniques always to get a dog’s good side.

“There are all kinds of tricks that I have, squeaky toys, throwing toys, throwing treats, I mean it’s all kinds of things, it just depends on the dog. I haven’t found many that I haven’t been able to capture their photo,” said Linton.

These photos are the kind of exposure TAPS is looking for to find people willing to adopt.

The no-kill animal shelter currently has 155 animals still looking for a home, but TAPS spokesperson Liam Donahue says this number is typical. Instead, it’s the growing list of animals with extended stays that worries shelter workers.

“We want to keep them under 100 days if we can, so once we get them, that 100-day mark, we know we need to get them more exposure,” said Donahue.

The Pekin shelter has 24 animals on that 100-day list and is hosting an open house event this Saturday, March 9, from 1 to 4 p.m., hoping for more adoptions.

Until then, Donahue says Linton’s work has been a big help to their shelter.

“Having [the dogs] get nice quality photos where you can capture the essence of their beauty, it helps them to increase exposure and get potential applications,” said Donahue.

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