There is a photographer from North Carolina who is gaining widespread attention for her touching photographs of dogs that she took near the end of their life so that their owners may keep their cherished memories alive.
During the day, Mandy Pierce, who is 34 years old and lives in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, works for a firm that specializes in agriculture. Additionally, it is quite probable that she is holding a camera in her hand while she is not assisting customers in loading seed into their vehicles or mixing fertilizer.
In an interview with PEOPLE, Pierce makes the following statement: “I’ve always had a camera, but I didn’t start taking it seriously until about a year ago.”
@mandyraepierce
At that time, she started a side company that specialized in lifestyle photography and connected with The Tilly Project, which is a network of end-of-life pet photographers that offers support to those who are mourning the loss of a pet.
Pierce, who is a member of the affiliate network of the organization, makes connections with pet owners whose pets are expected to live for a very short period of time. He offers these pet owners reduced pricing on picture sessions that highlight their dogs’ characteristics and joyful moments.
“I was pretty much just using my camera to take photos of my own dog, and I figured why not offer the same service for those who really need it?” she adds. “Here I am, offering the same service to those who are in need.”
When pet owners make an appointment, Pierce asks them to fill out a questionnaire so that she may learn more about the dog, including the dog’s name, age, hobbies, and whether or not the dog has been diagnosed with a terminal illness.
“I like to prepare both the pet owners and myself,” she says, adding that she always offers a setting for the shoot in which the dog is most comfortable, such as their own house or a nearby park that they cherish. “I like to prepare both myself and the pet owners,” she adds.
According to her, “When I get there, I let the owners interact with their pet. I like getting close-up shots of them together as well as all the little details they most want to remember,” she adds. “For example, the big, floppy ears of a hound mix or the paws of a lab.”
Additionally, if the dog already has a favorite toy, it may be highlighted as well. One owner even placed a French fry in her mouth for the portrait, and the dog pulled it out for the picture. “I’ve even had owners bring McDonald’s Happy Meals,” the photographer said.
In addition, many people like eating ice cream cones, Starbucks coffee cups, and other delights that are normally off-limits, including as chocolate. “Because these photographs are frequently taken in their final days, they are able to receive treats that they would not normally be able to,” adds Pierce.
The images that were taken as a consequence have since gone popular on TikTok, and viewers have often shared with Pierce that they have shed tears while looking at her shots.
One specific TikTok movie has images taken by Pierce of a labrador retriever called Scout, who is now 16 years old. Scout was a rescue dog who had been put with a veteran when he was just 2 years old.
Pierce adds, “He had been with his owner for fourteen years, and he served until the very last minute; he was at his owner’s feet when he passed away because he had been there until the very end.”
The shootings itself, she explains, are supposed to be joyful, despite the fact that she allows herself to feel sad when processing the photographs of the end-of-life.
It’s more of a celebration of their life than anything else.
