Alison Turner has only been volunteering with us for 3 months, but in that time she has logged over 130 hours of time spent walking and playing with our dogs! Alison is such a blessing to Butte Humane Society, she’s amazing with our dogs and takes the most incredible photos and videos of them in action. These photos and videos have proven invaluable in showcasing the vibrant and unique personality of each dog in our care, helping them reach a larger audience and find their forever homes! Here are some of Alison’s own words on what volunteering means to her.

1. Why did you get involved with volunteering at BHS?

 

I always wanted to volunteer but assumed it would be too sad and hard to see. The truth is, volunteering has brought so much to my life and now I can’t imagine my life without it. Seeing the smiles on the dogs’ faces when I arrive and throughout the day is what brings me back. If too many days pass without seeing the dogs, or if I go on vacation, I find myself missing them and looking forward to the day I get to see them again. It has truly brought purpose to my life.

 

2. What has been your most impactful moment volunteering here?

 

There have been a few emotional moments seeing dogs go, but the dog who has made the most impact on my life is Buddy, the first dog I took on an overnight and adopted a few days later. He has already brought so much joy to my life in the few short months he’s been in it.

 

3. What has been your favorite thing about photographing/documenting shelter dogs?

My favorite thing about photographing the dogs is the challenge of getting their personality to shine through in an image. Before the camera comes out, my number one favorite thing is walking and playing with the dogs. Just being around them puts a smile on my face. When I’m taking video in the play yard, I look forward to running around with them and seeing them smile. Watching happiness unfold on their faces is what I love the most.  I look forward to editing the videos because I get to revisit our time in the yard and if I’m feeling down, away from the shelter, or miss the pups… I can always go back and watch them play. I hope that these videos will highlight their personality outside of the kennel so people can get a glimpse of what they’re like before they arrive. More importantly, the videos and images can be shared on social media to get more eyes on the dogs and ultimately, find them forever homes. 

 

You can keep up with Alison’s adventures to shelters across the nation by following @ontheroadtorescue on Instagram, where Alison features a new shelter dog each day!

Interview Questions by Kathleen Wyne, BHS Employee

 

Nona (Left) and Chloe (Right)

 

When did you first get involved with BHS?

• We first started volunteering with BHS back in October 2012! I (Chloe) had wanted to volunteer ever since I was about 7 years old, so as soon as I reached the age requirement at the time (12), we applied. We started out by walking & socializing the adoptable dogs, but before long we met the woman in charge of photographing BHS dogs at the time and began helping her out.

 

What made you want to start photographing BHS dogs?

• We took over the photography role after the photographer we had been helping stepped down. We had such a great time sharing the job with her; we wanted to continue! It’s so fun to try and capture their personalities in photos so that people who are looking to adopt can see who the pups really are. It’s also super nice being able to share the role, with me (Chloe) handling the dogs and editing the photos and my mom (Nona) doing the actual photography!

 

What is your favorite part about volunteering?

• We absolutely love seeing so many different dog personalities – no two are alike! Seeing them through the camera sometimes reveals what you don’t see at first glance. Also, it’s amazing when we get to see some of the more shy/anxious dogs open up and show us their true selves! We love being able to make an impact, no matter how small or large, in the shelter dogs’ lives.