Rachael Rodgers is a photographer who documents her road trips on Instagram.
But her travel companions aren’t relations or friends — they’re dogs without everlasting homes.
Rodgers, who lives within the small hamlet of Exshaw in Alberta, Canada, said she has traveled with a whole bunch of dogs across Canada, plus three U.S. states — Washington, Utah and Oregon.
And it began with an Instagram post, she said.
“There was no plan for such a project at first,” she told CNBC. “I just found I had more followers on Instagram than I felt the necessity to post my personal photos to, so I made a decision to volunteer at a neighborhood shelter to take adoptable dogs out for photos and post them as a substitute.”
I do it because I actually have by accident developed this … ability to alter a dog’s life.
Rachael Rodgers
Photographer
Her first post a few rescue dog went viral, and he or she’s been photographing canine companions ever since, she said.
Rodgers works with greater than 20 shelters now, she said, picking up dogs to take them climbing and kayaking at national and provincial parks. Even on her personal travels, Rodgers said she makes an effort to volunteer at shelters along the way in which.
Paddy, Aurora and Wilma can be found for adoption, said Rodgers — at Canada’s Claws Animal Rescue, Animal Rescue Foundation and Lillian Albon Animal Shelter, respectively.
Source: Rachael Rodgers
She said nearly every dog that she has photographed has been adopted, except three: Paddy, Aurora and Wilma, shown above.
Traveling with man’s best friend
Rodgers’ work might be found on her Instagram account @trailsandbears, which showcases a whole bunch of dogs within the Canadian wilderness engaging in activities starting from kayaking in Moraine Lake, Alberta, to mountain climbing within the Yukon, a territory in Canada.
“I often go 60 to 90 minutes in any direction from where I live to start out the journey,” she said. “I make a versatile plan based on what information I get ahead of time in regards to the dog.”
She tries to capture each dog’s personality in her photographs, she said. To achieve this, she said she chooses activities that every dog likes to showcase its strengths to potential adopters.
“The dogs often ride behind my automotive … sometimes they like shotgun,” she said, adding that she often posts videos of the dogs en route, so people can see how they reply to automotive rides.
Rodgers and Feta, a puppy from the Whitehorse Humane Society, share a moment at a deserted gold mine within the Yukon, Canada. Feta has since been adopted.
Source: Rachael Rodgers
“It was once tricky a couple of years ago to point out up at a [shelter],” she said. “I got some strange looks and numerous rejections. However the response I get as of late — a variety of the time I haven’t got to elucidate what I would love to do.”
Someone often recognizes her from her Instagram page, she said.
The necessity for higher representation
Rodgers told CNBC Travel that traveling with rescue dogs might be difficult, but the necessity to represent them motivates her to maintain volunteering.
Rodgers plays with three shelter dogs.
Source: Rachael Rodgers
“I do it because I actually have by accident developed this tool, audience and skill to alter a dog’s life, not because I wish to or wish to,” she said.
Rodgers said it is important to point out rescue dogs in real-world environments too.
“You’ll be able to’t judge a dog based on his or her character in a shelter environment — it isn’t a natural space,” she said. “It’s imperative to get them out right into a natural environment and do things their adoptive family may do with them,” she said.
For owners who wish to travel with dogs, she recommends keeping track of a dog’s mood.
“And provides them mental health stops to get out and sniff around to lighten things up,” she said.
