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Ms. Fusaro, with Sunny, center, and Gabby. Photos, Rita Earl.
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Ms. Fusaro and friend at West Los Angeles shelter.
Animal photographer Lori Fusaro, who is the editor of the Culver City News, has a special place in her heart for the under-dog. She has been helping pets find homes for more than a decade, inspiring her to create an art book called Silver Hearts.
Ms. Fusaro’s unique contributions are her photographs of shelter animals that showcase their true spirit. These pictures allow potential adopters to see them as family pets, and they have been instrumental in getting the animals adopted.
“It takes a special brand of doglover to capture the essence of a dog’s individual personality inside of a 20-minute photo shoot,” says Donna Reynolds, founder of the animal welfare/rescue group BAD RAP (an acronym for Bay Area Doglovers Responsible About Pit Bulls). “Lori’s work is sublime. ”
During her time at the shelters, Ms. Fusaro learned that dogs are surrendered every day to shelters for many reasons—the most heartbreaking of which is that the dog is “too old.” Senior dogs relinquished to animal shelters most often do not make it out alive.
That was the certain fate for Ms. Fusaro’s Silver Hearts book inspiration, a dog named Shady. Ms. Fusaro met the old girl on one of her trips to the shelter.
“Something about Shady touched me,” the photographer said. “She was ancient. The shelter said she was 16, and she had cancer. She was alone. She was depressed, and I could not get her face out of my mind.”
Ms. Fusaro refused to let her die in the shelter, and so she adopted her.
Once united, she renamed Shady Sunny, as in a fresh start.
Back at the shelter, she discovered many old pets are left there to die. Unwilling to see these dogs languish there, she has decided to spread awareness for these wise old souls.
“I will be traveling all over the country as part of my Silver Hearts project,” she said. “I will be photographing as many senior dogs as I can, making a one-of-a-kind art book. My goal is to tell each dog's story, to show them as the wise, beautiful, worthy souls they are. Mature dogs still have a lot of zest for living.”
Once, said Ms. Fusaro, “I was one of those people who thought my heart couldn't handle bringing an older dog into my life. It would be too painful to love a dog knowing his time was limited.
“I came to realize, though, that no creature should die alone.
“Every animal deserves a home, even if for a short time.”
A main purpose of her book, said Ms. Fusaro, is “to show old dogs still have a lot of love to give,”
Can the power of love work miracles?
Sunny is going strong a year after Ms. Fusaro brought her home.
A photographer for 14 years and an animal rescuer for 10, many of Ms. Fusaro’s photographs have received critical acclaim. They have graced the pages and covers of calendars, publications, and have been showcased in art exhibits.
She has been honored as one of the top photographers in Los Angeles for the last four years, and is featured in the book “So You Want to Be a Pet Photographer.”
Ms. Fusaro has been involved with several non-profits, including HeARTs Speak, Angel City Pit Bulls and Guide Dogs for the Blind. Even with those high-profile organizations on her resume, Ms. Fusaro's most important effort by far has been helping hundreds of dogs, young and old, find homes.
“My mantra has become, ‘If not me, then who?’ With this book, I hope to make that resonate with others. Together we can make a difference. Love doesn't keep track of years.”
For information about the Silver Hearts book project, see www.FusaroPhotography.com or www.facebook.com/SilverHeartsProject
