These pets are raising funds

By Nichole Livengood  

JUNE 17, 2011 10:55 a.m. (0)

Two hundred and fifty submissions poured in for the New Face of the Greenville Humane Society photo contest which wrapped March 24, just before the facility’s new location at 305 Airport Road opened. (View slideshow above to see the winners)

Kim Pitman, the executive director, said the funniest of the photos was a yellow lab dressed in a ballerina costume compete with tutu and a cat, who Pitman says, must have been 25 pounds that had stuffed itself into a very small inbox tray.

“It looked like an exploded Jiffy Pop popcorn container.”

The Spartanburg Humane Society is running its 2012 Pets of Spartanburg Calendar contest, the organization’s largest annual fundraiser which brings in $25,000-$30,000 for the organization.

“The money we raised does a lot for the animals of our community,” said Katie Freseman, spokesperson for The Spartanburg Humane Society.

“Folks can submit their picture and solicit their friends and family to vote on it for $1,” said Freseman. People began submitting photos online on June 1. The contest runs three weeks.

The picture that inspired the cover contest was a submission that ended up being the cover for the 2010 calendar.

“Some folks took their dogs, a lab and a golden retriever, and hung cardboard signs around their necks that said We Love Spartanburg Humane Society.”

In the past, some of the more interesting calendar submissions have included horses, a donkey, goats, a deer, cows and a rabbit. One of the funniest pictures submitted for the 2011 calendar was a terrier mix who had pulled everything off its owner’s desk. The dog is sits among the debris. The picture appeared in May of this year with the caption “Uh-Oh!”

For the Greenville contest, five judges chose seven finalists to go to Urban Dog Photography for a photo shoot with professional pet photographer Renee Carolla, who donated her services.

“These dogs and cats were not trained to be media stars. Most dogs in images on things are trained to sit and pose and beg and do all the things you need them to do for a photo shoot. It was a stitch to watch the process,” said Pitman.

Three days of belly rubs, liver treats and cat wrangling ended up with three 15-foot murals on the exterior of the building.

“It turns out all three animals were adopted from the Humane Society and are a great representation of the spirited and cute animals you can adopt from the Humane Society,” she said.

Both Greenville and Spartanburg Humane Societies are dependent on donations and volunteers to provide care for animals. More information is available on both websites. Animals are ready for adoption at both the Spartanburg and Greenville Humane Societies.