Saying Goodbye to Baxter

Saying Goodbye to Baxter

Dec 10, 2021

I have tears in my eyes as I am writing this post. It’s the type of news I never expected to share; certainly not this soon.

Last Sunday, we had to say goodbye to the goodest of cats: our boy, Baxter.

silver tabby cat

Baxter came to us from Toronto Animal Services on a dark, rainy evening in November 2012. From the beginning, he was the best cat. Calm, confident and kind to all; there will never be another. (Read his coming home story here.)

He left us on a dark, rainy afternoon after 3 nights in the ICU ward. I hate to think that he spent his last nights in a hospital, but we were trying to save him. And I honestly thought we would be able to bring him home, even if it was for a short time.

His diagnosis was acute-on-chronic renal failure. Unbeknownst to us, his right kidney was small (from genetics or disease) and his left kidney had been picking up the slack for some time. That worked until sometime probably on Monday, when the left kidney became blocked. His creatinine levels shot up and by the time of his admission into ICU on Thursday evening, they were at 1300. (Normal levels are approximately 80-204).

Ultimately, he could not be stabilized and his little body could not recover. We, therefore, made the heart-rending decision to gently let him go. He was only 11 years old.

silver tabby lying on bed

His sudden decline has left us in shock. Especially his sister, Panda, who I would describe as bonded and whom he loved dearly. I would daily find them curled up somewhere sleeping. Or grooming. Or playing. Or quietly sitting experiencing the day together. He was a huge part of her life and his absence has left her disoriented and unsure.

two cats watching the snow

We are, of course, thankful to his vets Dr. Buller and Dr. Rosamund of Westbridge Veterinary Hospital in Mississauga who cared for Baxter during his life with us. And for the multitude of vets and staff in the ICU at Toronto Veterinary Emergency Hospital in Scarborough, that worked tirelessly to try and save him at the end.

Oh, Baxter…I thought we had years of adventures ahead of us. In the end, we had 9 years, 22 days, 20 hours, and 12 minutes. Every minute you were with us was precious.  We will take care of your favourite girl, Panda, and together, we will find a new rhythm. But the hole you have left cannot be filled and we will miss you and love you forever. At 1:12 p.m. on Sunday, December 5, 2021, my heart shattered into a million pieces. 

Goodbye, my boy. You were the best.

tabby sitting on red furniture

The photos of Baxter I have now are some of the most precious things I own, and really all that I have that is tangible from the incredible life he shared with us. If you too have a loved pet that you want beautiful portraits of, a Heritage Session may be for you.

POSH PETS® HERITAGE SESSIONS

Celebrating the life, love and legacy of your pet. ™

  • High-priority sessions are reserved for pets that become ill or are simply elderly. We make every effort to schedule these on short notice and work within their restrictions.
  • An opportunity to take time out of your busy schedule to spend some quality time together, celebrate the life you have shared and create images you will treasure forever.
  • Please note: The Creative Fee covers time and talent to photograph a maximum of four (4) subjects, which can be any combination of people and up to two (2) pets who live within the same household. Additional subjects may be photographed for a small additional fee.
  • More information can be found here.
Book Now
Coping with the loss of a pet through photography.

Coping with the loss of a pet through photography.

Jan 6, 2016

Celebrating the life, love and legacy of your pet.™

There are probably few things worse than knowing you are running out of time, especially when it involves someone that you love dearly. Sadly, we are often caught by surprise when we are told that our pet is seriously ill. In a moment, all that time we thought we had, suddenly disappears, and we realize that we need to preserve the memories of our relationship with that furry family member. Knowing just how important it is to remember and celebrate your relationship is the reason behind the Posh Pets Heritage™ Session.

When I first spoke with Olivia about her Bella, she told me that she was her 11 year old black labrador, that she had had her she had her since she was a puppy. These two had grown up together. She also shared that Bella had only just been diagnosed with terminal lung cancer and that the prognosis was not good. Could I create a session that would celebrate their relationship?, she asked. Of course., I assured her.

We made arrangements quickly and Olivia chose the park where she and Bella regularly went for walks. We took our time since Bella did not have the energy she had once had. Although, the sight of a ball still brought a light to her eyes and she chased it once or twice. Treats were, of course, graciously accepted. So, we walked and talked, stopping here and there to photograph Bella in her element with Olivia.

Olivia wanted me to be sure to capture the white muzzle and beautiful eyes of her dear Bella in a portrait. The dried reeds provided a beautiful backdrop against her black coat.

black labrador portrait

Even though some would consider the weather less than ideal, we were able to capture absolutely gorgeous images!

formal black labrador dog portrait

We then went on to document some sweet portraits of Olivia and Bella together.

dog rolling on grass with girl

girl hugging black labrador dog

portrait of a chinese girl and black labrador

girl hugging dog

We even got in a few kisses! Olivia was Bella’s world (and vice versa), so this was no surprise.

black labrador giving a girl a kiss

Inky, Bella’s older brother, also came along so he could be photographed along with her. He may only have a few months on Bella, but he practically dwarfs her in size.

dog best friends

dog family portrait

I’ve said it before, but I will say it again: I am always amazed at how a dog will rise to the occasion. Despite the fact that the medication and her illness left her fatigued, Bella showed us that she could still chase a ball.

premier-canada-dog-photographer

dog carrying ball

And, she still had the ability provide the loveliest of expressions for a portrait.

black labrador sitting in a pile of leaves

We ended the session with a few more images of Bella and Olivia together on a forest path.

girl hugging dog in a forest

richmond-hill-dog-photography

The final portrait was of lovely Bella herself. In her park. The way Olivia wanted to remember her.

black-labrador-dog-portrait-toronto

A week later, I received the e-mail I dread to receive: Bella had said her final good-bye, surrounded by the family she loved. I had already edited Bella’s images and ordered her folio box as well as her wall art, and Olivia was understandably eager to receive them. While they will never replace having Bella at her side, the images from our session will ensure that the memory of Bella stays alive in her heart.

If you ever find yourself in a similar situation, please do not hesitate to contact me and arrange a Posh Pets Heritage™ Session.

 

Bart – Posh Pets Heritage™ Session | Cat Photographer in Toronto

Bart – Posh Pets Heritage™ Session | Cat Photographer in Toronto

Oct 5, 2015

Celebrating the life, love and legacy of your pet.™

As a pet photographer, I get quite a number of requests for sessions with cats. I love our kitty friends – their quiet and calm demeanor, the grace with which they carry themselves and the nuances of their individual personalities. My sessions with them are always a joy.

I met Bart on a quiet summer afternoon in August. Those perfect days when it is not too hot, the sun is shining and no one is running tools to disturb the quiet peace of the neighbourhood. Bart was a 15 1/2 year old black beauty with a kind and gentle nature. He had been adopted by his humans when already full grown (I love it when people fall in love with the adult adoptables!) and had lived a wonderful life with his feline brother, Toby, and his human family.

When his mom first contacted me, she told me worriedly that Bart was a black cat and very difficult to photograph. He was exclusively an indoor cat, so he needed to be photographed inside. Additionally, he had recently been diagnosed with cancer and she really wanted some beautiful images that would highlight his gorgeous eyes and ensure that they had tangible, physical memories to hold onto when the time came to say good-bye.

We spent a couple of hours that afternoon photographing Bart in all of his favourite spots in the home. He was quite happy and was engaged for his photo session. I am always amazed by pets who ‘seem to know’ and therefore muster up the energy to give their families this last gift of photographs. As I was leaving his home, I gave him one quiet cuddle and told him to be a brave boy and let his family know when the time came.

Four weeks later, Bart said his final good-bye at home, surrounded by his loving family.

As I delivered Bart’s final artwork, we talked about what a great life he had, how hard the past couple of weeks had been on everyone, but how right the decision had been to have him photographed professionally. As always, I left the meeting with tears in my eyes.

“Bart, you have left a huge hole in the hearts and lives of those who loved you. I was privileged to have met you and to photograph you. I will remember you with fondness, always.”

POSH PETS HERITAGE™ SESSIONS

Celebrating the life, love and legacy of your pet.™

  • High-priority sessions reserved for pets that become ill or are simply elderly. We make every effort to schedule these on short notice.
  • An opportunity to take time out of your busy schedule to spend some quality time togehter, celebrate the life you have shared and create images you will treasure forever.
  • Please note: The Creative Fee covers time and talent to photograph a maximum of four (4) subjects, which can be any combination of people and up to two (2) pets who live within the same household. Additional subjects may be photographed for a small additional fee.
  • Examples of portraits from Posh Pets Heritage™ Sessions can be found here.
Book Now
Magic – Heritage Session | GTA Pet Photographer

Magic – Heritage Session | GTA Pet Photographer

Mar 11, 2015

What is a Posh Pets Heritage Session, you ask? Simply put, it a unique session where we take whatever time is needed to celebrate the life of a special dog. No one likes to think about it too much, but the reality is that we will often outlive our pets. And when the time comes to say good-bye, photographs can often be the way to forever capture the memories we hold dear.

Magic was a good dog. He had been diagnosed with cancer and his people knew that their time with him was short. In fact, when we initially spoke, they were not sure if we had enough time to schedule a Session. I assured them that I would make it happen. A couple of days later, on a bright Sunday morning, we set out to create incredible memories.

I’m always amazed at how animals just know. In these situations, when I first arrive, I want to take the time to see how the pet is feeling. We want to work at their pace, taking into account their limitations. And yet, each time, the pet always rises to the occasion, as if they want to give this last gift to their people. Magic was no different. We spent time creating images both inside and outside their home and then a final last walk in his favourite park.

As our Session came to a close, I hugged Magic, kissed him and said my good-bye, knowing we would not meet again. He was gone some 24 hours later, surrounded by the people he loved so much.

Of course, our Ordering Session was an emotional one. We cried. We hugged. But, in the end, Magic’s family chose two gorgeous Folio Boxes filled with memories of their special boy, and lovely pieces of Wall Art.

shetland sheepdog head portraitblack and white photo of sheltland sheepdogfamily portrait with dog in Canadawoman and dog huggingToronto pet photographershetland sheepdog sitting on couchcollie being held on bedblack and white photo of dog with familyToronto dog photographydog sitting on large tree trunk

 

POSH PETS HERITAGE™ SESSIONS

Celebrating the life, love and legacy of your pet.™

  • High-priority sessions reserved for pets that become ill or are simply elderly. We make every effort to schedule these on short notice.
  • An opportunity to take time out of your busy schedule to spend some quality time togehter, celebrate the life you have shared and create images you will treasure forever.
  • Please note: The Creative Fee covers time and talent to photograph a maximum of four (4) subjects, which can be any combination of people and up to two (2) pets who live within the same household. Additional subjects may be photographed for a small additional fee.
  • Examples of portraits from Posh Pets Heritage™ Sessions can be found here.
Book Now

Heritage Sessions™ for senior cats and dogs

Heritage Sessions™ for senior cats and dogs

Dec 6, 2012

Heritage pet photography session for elderly dog

I’ve been thinking about this for some time now, more so since we lost Ripley at the end of May. From the time we had his diagnosis to the time we said our final good-bye, it was less than 36 hours. After 16.5 years together (we adopted him when he was about 1 years of age), we had less than 36 hours. A precious few hours to hold him, cherish him and try to memorize everything we knew about him.

Fortunately, I am a professional photographer. Which means I literally have hundreds of images of Ripley throughout his life. But, at the end, I needed more. Even though I can now clearly see the difference between when he was well and the last couple of days of his life, I created more images. Those photographs still bring tears to my eyes, but they make me smile too because they are memories of him.

But, it made me think of those who are not photographers. Those who only have the odd iPhone image of their beloved furry face(s) or a few images stored away on a hard drive somewhere. When the time comes, in most cases, that won’t be enough.

I always tell my clients not to wait until the end to invest in professional custom pet photography. It is wonderful to have images and memories of the times when our pets are well, active and vibrant. But life happens and we get busy. And sometimes these things catch us by surprise. For those, I am happy to introduce Posh Pets® Heritage Sessions.

What are Heritage Sessions™?

Heritage Sessions™ are special sessions that are high-priority because they are reserved for pets that become ill or are simply elderly. I know, from personal experience, you may not have even a week to have your precious boy or girl photographed. So, I will do everything reasonably possible to meet your scheduling needs so that you don’t miss out on this very important time together. Simply put, they can be requested on short notice and we will find a way to work it into our calendar.

Your Heritage Session™ will also go at the pace of your pet. When a pet is ill or is simply quite elderly, they need frequent breaks for water, rest, and medication. Given the emotions involved, you might need a break too. So, we will not watch the clock. We will not keep track of time. We will simply photograph until we have the images you want. And need. And make sure that you have some time to just enjoy each other’s company, and have it frozen in time forever.

I know images won’t make up for the loss of your pet. It will still hurt. A lot. And you will feel like there is a huge hole left in your heart. But, in time, looking at the images you chose to create together, you too, will be able to smile through the tears.

POSH PETS® HERITAGE SESSIONS

Celebrating the life, love and legacy of your pet. ™

  • High-priority sessions are reserved for pets that become ill or are simply elderly. We make every effort to schedule these on short notice and work within their restrictions.
  • An opportunity to take time out of your busy schedule to spend some quality time together, celebrate the life you have shared and create images you will treasure forever.
  • Please note: The Creative Fee covers time and talent to photograph a maximum of four (4) subjects, which can be any combination of people and up to two (2) pets who live within the same household. Additional subjects may be photographed for a small additional fee.
  • More information can be found here.
Book Now
Posh Pets® Photography is a member of the Joy Session® Network, a resource for those coping with pet loss and bereavement. 
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