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What AARCS Has to Say

A little over a year ago, AARCS came up with a new initiative to have all the animals that come into our care be professionally photographed. This is how AARCS met Marsha. She was a new photographer and had a passion for animals just like all of us at AARCS. We had no idea how fortunate we would be.

Marsha, as I'm sure you have seen from her photos, has the amazing ability to catch, in a photograph, the feeling you can see in an animal's eyes.

Since starting with AARCS just over a year ago, Marsha has photographed over 100 animals for us and has helped us adopt out just as many by helping us showcase them on our site with great profile photos.

Her selfless, can do attitude makes her an integral part of our volunteer network. She will take on any challenge we hand her way and always does it with a smile.

Marsha, we are so fortunate to have you as part of AARCS family. Thank you for your hard work and endless hours of dedication to helping our cause.

A Few Words from the Volunteer

I started volunteering for AARCS just a little over a year ago, and it had been one of the best decisions I have ever made. I had just put up a website, and another volunteer from AARCS contacted me about possibly photographing some rescue dogs to better their chances of finding a home. I jumped at the chance - my family had to put up with me for a few weeks when that was all I could talk about. The first time I photographed for AARCS was at an adopt-a-thon in Airdrie, and I was very nervous as I had no idea what to expect. After that, I couldn't imagine not continuing on with them.

Each dog or cat that I meet, each story that I hear about how they got there, just pushes me to keep going. There is nothing more rewarding than helping in the process of giving an animal a second chance at happiness. To this day, I can tell you the names of every single dog and cat I have photographed, as each of them holds a special place in my heart.

On one aarcs session, I was asked to photograph Clarissa von Stetten's foster dogs. She had told me that there was a parvo puppy in quarantine that also needed photos, and when I met this little puppy I was in love. What did Clarissa say? "Want to foster her?" I don't think I even thought about it before blurting out yes! Everytime one of the fosters gets adopted, I tell my husband no more - as it was just to hard to let them go. This only lasts about a couple of weeks until I see the next dog that needs a home. We have only fostered a few dogs, but its so rewarding to see the difference love can make in a dogs life. My own dog Daisy, has been the biggest help to me with fostering. She always shows the new dog the ropes. The most amazing dog that I have come across, is my last foster Donemto, aka Kodak. When we picked him up we could barely get him in the kennel, and it was almost impossible to get him out when arriving at our home. I had to keep a leash on him at all times, or I would never be able to get near him. Slowly but surely, he came around. In the five months that we had him, he blossomed into the most loving, goofy, and loyal dog I have known. It brings tears to my eyes, remembering how he was, and where he is now. I never thought that I could foster a dog, but Kodak is now my inspiration to keep going, in helping one at a time.

I have met some of the most amazing people through AARCS, who are such an inspiration to me. I never realized before how much work and dedication goes on behind the scenes, but couldn't be possible without all of these selfless individuals. I am honored to even be a part of AARCS, and I look forward to many years to come with them.