Anything is pawsible as Rhian’s pics display cats and dogs for new homes
There are some Gruff times ahead for photographer and card publisher Rhian Ap Gruffydd and it’s all in a great cause as she’s linked up with Burns Pet Nutrition to find homes for abandoned cats and dogs.
Rhian, who runs Gruff Pawtraits using photographs she’s taken of clients’ dogs to illustrate her cards, has used her skills to capture the pooches and pussies from the Mayhew rescue centre in London’s Kensal Green.
And, with Burns Pet Nutrition which supports the Mayhew, an exhibition has been organised at the Romeo & Juliet dog-friendly café in Hampstead to showcase 10 of the animals in the hope of finding them a forever home.
“Burns approached me,” Rhian told PG Buzz, “and said they were doing this for their 30-year anniversary and loved my images that they’d seen, so wanted me to be part of it.
“I photographed 15 animals altogether a couple of weeks ago but, as they’ve been rehomed, we haven’t been able to use all the pictures so there are 10 in the exhibition.”
The Anything Is Pawsible exhibition opens tomorrow, 28 July, for two weeks, with visitors being encouraged to make donations to the rescue centre, as well as buy the portraits with all proceeds going to the charity.
One of the pictures is of Slippers, a cat discovered in an open carrier in a garden by the property’s new tenants with a note that said: “This is a black and white cat, she is very friendly, please don’t throw it away.”
Rhian also snapped spaniel cross Sheba, two-month-old Spanish crossbreed Bubbles, three-month old kitten Tommy who also has a brother Bear, Beano the Staffie, kitten Michael who has a sister Sara, bulldog Ivy, husky malamute cross Diva – and four-year-old poodle Dolly who arrived at Mayhew heavily-pregnant with nine pups. She has now been adopted while her pups are waiting for their new homes.
Rhian, whose Gruff Pawtraits collection is among the shortlisted ranges in The Henries 2023, is hoping that the national publicity from the story being featured in The Times newspaper on Tuesday, 25 July, will help the cause.
She added: “I loved the black and white cat Slippers, and the small ginger dog Sheba because I have a thing for small dogs, but I managed not to take any home with me – although the kittens were adorable! I was very taken with them. But my favourite was the little black dog Bubbles.
“I’ve just done one cat picture before because they can be difficult – if anyone’s asked me I’ve always said no – so I was amazed at how well-behaved these were.
