FAREWELL OLD PAL: Photographer shares heartbreaking photos of owners saying goodbye to their beloved pets as they near the end of their lives

A photographer who specialises in capturing one final, emotionally-charged photoshoot between ageing pets and their owners has shared some of the tear-jerking images she's taken.

Lauren Smith-Kennedy, 28, who lives in Portland, Maine, takes poignant black-and-white photos of owners enjoying cherished time with their beloved pets as the animals approach the end of their lives.

The pet photographer says she hopes the images provide some comfort to the owners when their pets have passed - and reveals she's been asked to fly all over the world for her job.

Smith-Kennedy says: 'It really is a truly heartbreaking time for any family on their own journey of grief.

'It's the profound heartbreak you feel knowing the life you have shared with that animal and anyone who has had a pet can relate to that.'

She says she struggles to contain her own emotions when she looks back on the photos but holds it together while shooting the images.

'When I'm there, I'm doing my job and if I let my own feelings become a distraction it would take away from giving the family the gift of remembrance.'

'But when I'm driving home and when I sit and look at the pictures, that's when my emotions catch up on me.'

Discussing some of the hardest photoshoots she's done, she says watching two young children saying goodbye to their 11-year-old border collie, CC, was difficult.

The photo shows the siblings crouched down around the pet, having been prompted to 'give him some love', and each express this in entirely different ways.

The young boy is moved to tears as he reaches out to touch his pet, and his mother looks over sympathetically at her heartbroken son.

Within the same image, a young girl shares a fond memory of her time with the dog, which prompts a smile from her grandparents who look down lovingly.

The photographer, who lives with her boyfriend Brendan, 30 and four-year-old cat Percy, says the images 'really show the different dynamics of how people deal with their grief.

'I don't tell them how to feel, I just prompt them to do something with their dog and this inspires memories that lead them to feel a certain way.

'I have been inundated with requests, some people even offering to fly me places, but I can't always do it because of my work in animal rescue.

'I started doing this because of Tilly, it allows me to work through my own grief, but also honour all of these other wonderful pets. It has been very cathartic.'

And while dogs are the main focus of her work, Lauren has also been asked to photograph the final moments of other animals - including a pet rat.

She said: 'We honoured a rat called Velma, rats don't live very long and she was suffering from respiratory problems, she was just so sweet and loving, and was loved very much by her family.

'Lots of people wouldn't necessarily think of having the same love for rats as with cats and dogs but it's about the connection we build and the memories we create.

'In the future I hope to have representations of many more species too, because the bond is there no matter what the animal.'

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-10181267/amp/Photographer-captures-owners-pets-theyre-sleep.html

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Lovely

Watch rightousness and holiness, 5 and 6

Jmm

Parting and good byes are emotional moments.




Righteousness, can you link it to yeye end time tale.

Even rat

Righteousness2:
Beautiful and touching last Moments with their pets.

As For we Humans, the Sweetest and Loveliest Death to Die is to Die or Depart with JESUS Christ.

There is nothing as Sweet and Glorious than to close your eyes in Death and open it in Heaven to see JESUS with HIS Hands wide open and saying " Welcome Home my Son! Welcome Home my Daughter!

This is the Greatest accomplishment in Life.

Pastor!

See as that one dey kiss rat

Naso China chop meat wey the rest of the world dey wash hand, farewell old pal no mean say make you invite Lassa fever

Dogs can display so much emotion

gasparpisciotta:
Dogs can display so much emotion

Very sensitive and full of affection.

You get the purest love from them.

Very emotional scenes but over here, some will roast and garnish Bruno with pepper.

Funny how humans are advocating for more animal protection & care than human protection & care.

I see no reason why drugs should be sold if truly we love the human race. Let Government pay the patent right of any drug and mass produce for free!

Well, a day is coming when the human race will go extinct and animals will dominate the planet just as it was before we humans came.

Sweet memories are to be cherished.

They are all that is left of our past.

Nonsense!!
Who all this ones epp when price of gas has increased.

I can't see any cat.

This is what happens when people are overfed. A lot of them are yet to see black people as equals yet vouch for animals in every shape and form. Nairalanders with colonized mentalities are oowning and awwning to this, I find it sickening.

Thought 'Hellos and goodbyes' was for man..

Never knew we could extend that hands to animals.....

Take a very good and clear look at all of them and you'll see how lovely life is .

Life no too hard abeg...Just imagine am say if human being can show pet, ordinary animal for that matter this kind love, wetin go make human being no fit show him fellow human being such love too

Oyibo and their yeye life sef. Make I go deh kiss bingo shebi

I don't have anything to say here.

Brings back sad memories....

Nonsense news
Rubbish

OK

Sad... can't imagine how I'd feel if anything happened to my conure.

We once had a dog named Whiskey.(2000 -2014) He was a wonderful creature to have around much better than some useless people! It was a real pain to watch it die! The attachment one has for his pet can't be described with words, I feel their pain!

Okay oooo

Okay, this was cute till I got to the rat.