As wise once said,
“ Our perfect companions never have fewer than four feet ”
Every pet owner can agree that pet is not just an animal or belonging, they are best friends, family and even soul mate. It doesn’t matter if your companion is a dog, cat, horse, bird or tortoise , the list can goes on. As a pet owner we agree that, having pet is a lifelong decision to include animals in your life. From daily activities to special occasions, we share lots of happy stories and emotional moments with our pets. Studies show that, talking to our pet is actually good for our health. Quoted by George Elliot: “Animals are such agreeable friends - they ask no questions; they pass no criticisms.” Even though pet couldn’t speak our language, they can feel us by showing affection in their very own way.
Do you know? Every 11th April is National Pet Day, a date created just to celebrate our little friends, dedicate our love to them. Having pet as part of our family members is as equal to topping up more happiness into our life. Our pets share endless laughter with us. They create priceless memories, putting flavours in every chapter of our life. Even when we look at the news at times, it is just so incredible that human life were saved by pets too. Mahatma Gandhi once said: “ Man’s supremacy over the lower animals meant not that the former should prey upon the latter, but that the higher should protect the lower, and that there should be mutual aid between the two. ”
Pets, they are more than just family or friends.
Affection and trust between us human and our pets are necessary along the journey but the bond often started on the first meet, which is magical, as the event leads to years of relationship being together. Love develops naturally and bond takes time to grow. When time goes by and the relationship got deeper and stronger, it is common that we feel the emptiness when our pets are no longer around anymore. We know that they are part of our world but we often forget that we always are their entire world. People can go limitless in creativity when it comes to their pets, from organizing their birthday celebrations, to managing their pets like celebrities on social media with mass followers. Some even managed to build neighbourhood communities for pet gatherings and sharing sessions, whether its for their friendly furry friends or cold-blooded scaly friends.
For those who wish to have pets of their own, it is encouraged to adopt than purchase one from irresponsible breeders. There are numbers of pet shelters and rescue organisations in Malaysia such as PAWS Malaysia, SPCA Selangor, PetFinder.my and Second Chance Animal Shelter. These are the places you could drop by for your potential pet adoption as lots of furry little ones are looking for their forever home.
Elishia’s two big pals keeping her lifestyle interesting. Daily routine has become more fun with pets. Some find themselves practice healthier lifestyle after owning a pet dog because they started walking their dog at the park. Pets certainly cheer us up while keeping our health in check!
Check out the series here: Bond Portrait: Elishia + Aadesh
MAKING MEMORIES TOGETHER WITH YOUR PET.
As pets mostly have shorter lifespan than ours, we should make the most out of the precious time shared together. Just like family portraits, many would choose to have photography session with their pet companion. Not only to gather around and look at the camera for a photo, it is to document the changes of appearance when they grew up or activities that they appreciate and like too. It’s not rare that we even gotten request to make portraits for pet a yearly ritual. Photographs that we got through years will be a compilation of your life journey together, which are priceless when we look back in future days.
Anna, being a cat parent herself, said "Having feline companion is the most rewarding experience. They bring us comfort and make unpredictable laughters around us.".
PATIENCE IS a VIRTUE.
Quirky, energetic, and mischievous members of the family often hardly sit still or turn into a massive blur in front of camera. They could easily behave in a totally different way and this is a very common scenario when it comes to pet photography session. We have to admit that it’s not an easy task at all, but we find the experience rewarding at the same time because the end results usually tell unique story of the shared bonds. They are often the most stunning family portraits, or a most memorable moments one could have. Patience is the key when it comes to capturing pets, especially active furry member. Though posing are not necessary to get great shots, using their favorite treats and toys helps to freeze them for few second to grab their attention, and they would return you with a spark in their eyes too. We think, having a portrait session with pets is the combination of sports, children and event photography, and it demands lots of physical activity, the mix of play in work, and we definitely enjoy it. We are glad to have the opportunity to photograph 5 cats at a time of Carabelle’s feline family. She mentioned her cat parent journey started when she adopted a rescue cat, Tofu and now with her other kittens. Chasing around 5 felines to capture picture perfect shots surely doesn't come easy but it is all worth the effort.
they don't accompany us for our whole LIFE, yet THEY MAKE OUR LIVES WHOLE.
Acknowledging pets in our life does not only enrich us but it also changes our lifestyle and improve the wellbeing of society as a whole. It is an encouragement when we get to bond deeply with our pets. We hope through "Bond Portrait with pets", we all could create the awareness that animals truly own a special place in our hearts. For that, it reminds us that love comes in many forms and we celebrate all kinds of love.
