Dog lover and professional photographer Cathy Bower is asking owners of rescue dogs to celebrate their furry friends and help to give less fortunate residents of the City Dogs Home, Stoke-on-Trent a Christmas treat.

Cathy, who works from offices at the Foxlowe Arts Centre, Leek, is asking people who have adopted a rescue dog to get in touch and share their stories about what makes their dog special, detailing what difference the pet has made to their home life or family.

To enter, you can simply like and share Cathy’s Facebook page – search ‘Cathy Bower Photography’ –  and then comment what makes your dog special. You can also private message if you prefer.

An acclaimed, animal and pet photographer, Cathy will choose a winner and two runners-up. The winning entrant will receive a full photo shoot following a consultation about their dog’s personality, and she will help you to choose the perfect location for the shoot.

The winners will then be invited to a viewing session, where they will be able to select their favourite images. The winner will be able to select prints or wall art to the value of £250* (no cash alternatives or transfer offered) and the two runners up will have up to the value of £125 each. Cathy will also select other  runners-up who will receive a free location photoshoot worth £45.

In addition to the competition, Cathy will also offer gift vouchers for people to purchase as Christmas gifts, ideal for someone who’s adopted a pet or who’s got a dog who is a character and is a big part of their lives. The £45 gift voucher is available for a special price of £25 and will include a £10 donation to the City Dogs Home’s Give A Dog a Christmas Dinner campaign.

Cathy said: “I have been working as a professional photographer for over 15 years and I must have taken photos of hundreds of family pets.

“We adopted our much-loved pet, Baxter, three-years-ago and he’s a great addition to the family, he is a real character. Baxter was rescued from a puppy farm and we wouldn’t be without him.

“I was inspired to run the competition to celebrate the stories of people who have had really positive experiences rehoming their pet. “I want to hear the heart-warming stories about how rescue dogs have enriched local families and I hope that this can maybe influence some local residents to adopt an unloved dog, rather than put money into the pockets of puppy farms.

“The Dog Trust’s Famous slogan, a dog is for life, not just for Christmas is more poignant than ever and the RSPCA are urging the public to adopt rather than buying dogs.

It’s heartbreaking to think of the dogs who will spend the winter in kennels needing a home. I saw that the City Dogs Home were running a Give A Dog a Christmas Dinner campaign and I wanted to help.”

Cathy Bower Photography has built a reputation for creative photography, working extensively in the corporate arena as well as creating “pictures with personality” for families across the Midlands and North West.

Cathy specialises in capturing the character of her subjects, and loves working in working in nature and in the wild outdoors which not only provides stunning backdrops but allows your dog to enjoy the shoot and be captured doing what they love most, exploring and being on a walk.

Animal and pet photography is also a passion, alongside equestrian photo shoots.

To find out more about Cathy Bower Photography, please go online to www.cathybower.co.uk.

ENDS

For media enquiries please contact Nigel  Howle by email, [email protected], or by telephone, 0776 2043436.