Amateur photographer volunteers at local shelter to give cats a glow-up to help them get adopted, and the results are simply pawdorable

Author image for Isabella Penn
Isabella Penn
Mar 14, 2025 4:00 AM EDT

There's nothing more fulfilling than spending time at an animal shelter. We've all seen those tearjerking Humane Society commercials showing animals sitting in cages, just waiting for someone to take them home. And while not everyone is in a place to adopt, just spending time with shelter pets can make a world of difference. Even a little playtime lifts their spirits during a tough time.

Volunteering at a shelter isn't just about cleaning up after animals, either. There are plenty of fun and rewarding ways to help. Trust us, shelters need all the volunteers they can get. Just look at Terry Lauerman, a 75-year-old retiree who walks to his local shelter almost every day just to nap and cuddle with the cats. He's become the official catnapper at Safe Haven Pet Sanctuary (@safehavengb), a rescue for disabled cats at risk of euthanasia. How can I make this my full-time job?

Then, there's this dedicated amateur photographer who donates his free time to photographing shelter pets, giving them a black-tie glow-up to help them find forever homes. Keep reading to hear his story of how he got started, and of course, see the most adorable cats from his latest themed photoshoot. 

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  • Hello there! I volunteer up at my local shelter as a photographer, and I've been doing this for about 10 months now. I had 0 photography knowledge or skills when I started. I got my start by reaching out to the previous photographer
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  • and asking if I could help her as the handler of the animals while she took pictures. She accepted and also encouraged me to learn photography. With her help and lots of YouTube guides later, I have slowly grown to the level I am at now.
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  • I am located in Western North Carolina in the USA. If you are within driving distance, and if any of these cats interest you, you are welcome to DM me and I will link you over to the shelter's Facebook page to inquire about adopting/fostering!
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  • I like to post my work here on Reddit to encourage other people to take up this hobby. It is never too late to make a difference for the neglected animals in your community.
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  • If you have any interest in shelter photography, please feel free to check out my profile where you can find links to guides I have written on getting started!! I also will happily answer any questions here if I can, or you can join the subreddit
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  • r/shelterphotography to connect up with others doing this to ask questions or show support (If linking to that is frowned upon by the mods, please just let me know and I'll remove it!) This week (3-11-25) we were asked last minute to do a "Red carpet/black tie event" Theme for the cats. I
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  • came unprepared, so instead of panicking I decided to roll with it and do what I could with what I had (A common theme in shelter photography lol) I added ties on the male cats and cute necklaces on
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  • the female cats in photoshop afterwards. It's not my normal comfort zone, but I'm happy with how they turned out!! Hope you enjoy them too :D
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  • And now, the moment you've all been waiting for…

  • GEORGE CLOONEY (MALE, 2 YEARS Days at shelter: 25
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  • KEVIN HART (MALE, 2 YEARS Days at shelter: 19
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  • HALLE BERRY (FEMALE, 2 YEARS) Days at shelter: 18
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  • SHELDON (MALE, 4 YEARS) Days at shelter: 47
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  • MELISSA MCCARTHY (FEMALE, 2 YEARS Days at shelter: 19
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  • CAROL FROM H.R. (FEMALE, 2 YEARS)
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  • EMMY AWARD (FEMALE, 4 MONTHS)
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  • GRAMMY AWARD (FEMALE, 4 MONTHS)
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  • If this doesn't inspire you to check out your local shelter, we don't know what will. 

    And guess what: even animals can be volunteers too! Some dogs find their forever home and live happily ever after, but Chicken took it a step further. This former shelter pup now spends his days giving back, volunteering as an emotional support dog to help comfort nervous rescue animals. Get ready for the wholesome story of a truly good boy.

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adorable photography animal photos heartwarming cute sweet Photo volunteer animal shelter Cats animals amateur rescue
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