Local Business, Photographer Team Up to Help Dogs, Veterans

After raising $21,000 so far this year for Anne Arundel Medical Center’s neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), Davidsonville photographer Linda McCarthy is at it again. And this time she is helping dogs and veterans.

McCarthy runs Visual Concepts out of her home in Davidsonville and raises money for the NICU at AAMC annually with her Little Angles Calendar. Now, McCarthy is creating another calendar only instead of featuring babies, this one will highlight dogs and raise funds for Companions for Heroes.

Companions for Heroes (C4H) provides companion animals, skilled companion dogs and service dogs, free of charge to active duty military personnel, military veterans, and first-responders recovering from psychological challenges. C4H obtains the dogs from shelters and/or rescues, which might otherwise be euthanized.

“When I heard about Companions for Heroes and went on their website I thought, ‘Wow we really need to do something for these veterans and these dogs,’” McCarthy said. 

The 2014 Posh Pet Calendar will recruit area dog owners who want their pet photographed. In lieu of a session fee, each dog owner makes a $100 contribution to C4H and then has their dog photographed. After all the pets have their photos taken, the pictures go online, and for $1 a vote, the public picks the 13 dogs featured in the calendar—one for each month plus the cover.

All of the portraits will be taken at Perfect Pet Resort in Lothian, which is teaming up with McCarthy for the project.

McCarthy met with Perfect Pet Resort owner Elizabeth Chaney to talk about starting a new project, and it was Chaney who recommended C4H.

“If you go on the website I dare you not to cry,” McCarthy said. “It is very, very moving and I want to do anything to help them. This is very near and dear to me.”

Any dog can be photographed for the calendar. McCarthy said they are taking all breeds—purebreds and mutts—as long as they have “good manners and good smiles.”

In addition to photos of the dogs, each month in the calendar will also feature an inspirational story about the veterans and their dogs.

“I think the stories will add a certain element to the calendar,” McCarthy said. “Right now people don’t know about Companions for Heroes and I think we are going to give it much more of an awareness.”

Portrait sessions for the calendar will be held on May 31, June 1 and June 15 at Perfect Pet Resort at 840 West Bay Front Rd. in Lothian. To schedule an appointment call 410-741-0000.

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