Photographer Helping Stray Dogs Get Adopted

The island of Cyprus has an animal abuse problem. A country without animal cruelty laws, dogs are routinely abused by the people of the island nation.

After moving to Cyprus in 2014, photographer Stuart Holroyd was introduced to Kayte Wilson-Smith, the founder of Bay Tree Rescue. Bay Tree Rescue is a shelter for stray, abused, and/or abandoned dogs. Funded entirely by Wilson-Smith and donations, the shelter is home for as many as 60 dogs. Her dedication to the rescue is so strong that she sometimes chooses to forgo food in order to have enough money to feed the dogs staying at the shelter.

Moved by her ambitious and generous project, Holroyd knew he had to help. A photographer by trade, he decided to do what he does best and photograph the dogs living in at Bay Tree Rescue in an effort to get attention for the shelter and find homes for the dogs living there. His project, called the Bay Tree Project, will ultimately publish a book of photographs of the strays at Bay Tree Rescue, with all profits supporting the organization.

For nine months, Holroyd photographed different dogs living at the rescue center. After getting to know each of the dogs that he photographed, he created portraits based on the personality of each dog. From a mermaid portrait featuring a dog with a disability that forces her legs to be stuck together, to a photo of a dog prepared to fly a fighter plane, the photos are creative, beautiful, and heartwarming.

For many stray dogs, appearance is everything for potential adopters. Holroyd hopes that his photos help show off these needy animals in the best light to encourage adoption.

If you’d like to support the efforts of Bay Tree Project or Bay Tree Rescue, please follow the organizations on Facebook to be kept up-to-date about their efforts and the release date of the Bay Tree Project book.