Copper is an Akita/Chinese Shar-Pei mix dog that was found locked inside an abandoned home with no food or water.

The family had left days prior to a man finding her while checking on the house. She was just 8 weeks old and starving. The man took her in, nursed her back to health and made her his family.

Copper’s new dad is a Vietnam Veteran and has fallen on hard times. They were homeless and living across the street from the VA in a storage area behind a gas station. Mid November Valley Dogs / Veterans and Their Pets℠- VaTP (www.veteransandtheirpets.org) received a call from the VA requesting immediate assistance with Copper because her dad needed to be hospitalized. Valley Dogs arranged for her to be transferred to a boarding facility while they worked on a temporary foster. While in Valley Dog’s care, they updated all her shots, bathed, micro chipped and spayed her. Just prior to Thanksgiving, they reunited Copper with her dad. Since she had just been fixed and it was cold and rainy, they could not have her living on the street. So, VaTP℠ placed them in a hotel while Valley Dogs worked with the VA to find them a halfway house. Space was available but not for both dad and Copper. This was not acceptable to her dad and he would choose to live on the street. So, VaTP℠ and the VA worked together until they found a home that would accept both Copper and dad. They now are getting back on their feet, healthy and looking for employment so they can be self sufficient.

Copper is a perfect (poster dog) for homeless Veterans animals. She is well behaved and highly social. She is always a happy girl and loves people.

For more information on Valley Dogs Rescue and how you can help to foster dogs in need of temporary care, visit their website at www.ValleyDogs.org.

For more information on Veterans and Their Pets℠, visit their website at www.VeteransAndTheirPets.org.

To license Copper’s photos for your commercial needs, click here to visit our stock photography library.

2012 Rescue Group Photo Program

Once a month, A Dog’s Life Photography will allow one rescue group to bring in up to 5 animals (not limited to dogs) to be photographed.  Note: This means that there are only 12 openings for the year. Act soon to sign up before all the slots are gone.

We will provide you with at least two professionally edited, high resolution digital photos of each animal. You may use these photos for any purpose that is intended to promote your rescue group or the adoption of any animal under the care of your rescue group. This includes but is not limited to the following photo usage:

• Adoption ads
• Website design
• Marketing materials
• Business cards
• Logos
• Promotional items such as Tshirts, coffee mugs, bumper stickers, etc. through standard printing methods or print on demand outlets such as Zazzle and Café Press.

Be creative and use this opportunity to raise funds for your rescue group! Create a pay-per-vote contest for your volunteers or previous adopters to compete to have their pets be chosen as one of the lucky 5 animals to be photographed. Then use the photos to create promotional merchandise to be sold to raise funds for your group. Whatever you decide to do, it’s up to you which animals you choose. The only requirements we have are the following:

• Dogs must know basic sit and stay commands
• No animals with any aggression issues
• You must be willing to bring the selected animals to my home based studio in Phoenix on your designated photo day.
• You must be willing to allow us to take some additional photos of the animals for our own resale purposes.
• You must be a 501c3 group and an authorized representative from the group must sign a release allowing A Dog’s Life Photo to use the photos for any purpose.

Click here to see the available dates for 2012. To sign up, send an email to susan@adogslifephoto.com including the month that you would like to sign up for and some basic info about your group.

On a side note… We are asked to do a lot of photo calendars each year. Due to the extensive amount of work that we put into these calendars, they will be handled separate from this program. We will only do two calendars this year. So, get your requests for 2013 calendars in as soon as possible! Our calendar fee is $1200.00 or $600.00 plus 30% of net proceeds of all sales. ADLP will provide you with 13 photographs to be used for your calendar. This fee does not include graphic design, calendar layout or creation or sales services.

Call Oh My Dog Boutique today at 480-874-1200 to schedule your time for a holiday photo of your dog(s). Complimentary styling services using the beautiful and elegant outfits and accessories available at Oh My Dog will be provided. Grooming services are also available.