To any pet owner, one of the cruelest things in the world is how short a time our beloved companions have with us on this earth. For photographer Maria Sharp, the time she had with her dog Chubby was just 16 years before she had to say goodbye. In the final days before her best friend's passing, Sharp came to terms with her loss by digging up old photos of Chubby, writing down her memories of their time together, and documenting some of their last moments with each other in a touching portrait shoot by fellow dog lover and photographer Suzanne Price.
Price's heartwarming shots capture the inseparable bond the two have shared since the day Chubby came home from the pound. “Being the impatient seven year old that I was, I would wake her up from her puppy naps so we could play,” Sharp reminisces on her blog. “I just wanted someone to enjoy life with […] Whenever we had guests over, I would barely say hi before saying, ‘Do you want to see my dog?!' She was my favorite part of myself.” Through childhood, high school, boyfriends, college, and the start of Sharp's career as a wedding photographer, Chubby was there for her, ready to greet her with loving licks, cuddles, and a wagging tail.
Chubby, whose health had deteriorated rapidly in the weeks before her death, had to be carried by Sharp during most of their photo shoot, but their intimacy and dependence on each other was clear to see. The two weren't just owner and pet–they were best friends who had spent most of their lives together. Price's portraits preserve the beautiful memory of their love for each other.
Maria Sharp's website
Suzanne Price's website
via [PetaPixel]
