End-of-Life Pet Photography Captures Final Precious Moments

Saying goodbye to a beloved pet is especially hard around the holidays
Credit: Kate Raper|The Tilly Poject

We love our pets. So much so, that we consider these domestic creatures our family or friends. Throughout their lives, we often capture this special bond through photos, selfies and portraits. When our pets are diagnosed with a terminal disease, we often grieve as we would for any human loved one. End-of-life pet photography memorializes their last moments spent with us, so we might treasure them even more so when they are gone.

One photographer’s personal crusade to capture these heartwarming photos for pet owners in Detroit, Michigan, has brought national attention to end-of-life pet photography. Julie Earhart has been taking these tender shots for pet owners for free. She encourages them to spend their money on their pet’s favorite snacks, toys, or costly medications instead. Her acts of kindness have recently been spotlighted by various news outlets throughout the country. She tells Newsweek, “Photos aren’t something a lot of pet owners might think about doing, but I know how much I love my dogs, and I know how much that would mean to me.”

Documenting Pet Loss

Earhart’s idea is not a new one. Many photographers across the U.S. offer end-of-life pet photography, albeit not always for free. Photojournalist Ross Taylor, for example, captured the heartbreaking reality of pet parents saying goodbye to their beloved animals in his photo essay “Last Moments.” Partnering with veterinarian Dr. Dani McVety of Lap of Love, an organization that provides in-home pet hospice and in-home euthanasia in the Tampa, Florida, area, Taylor witnessed and documented some of life’s most painful moments in intimate detail. 

Jake, a 12-year old Shepherd mix with his best friend
Credit: Lauren Smith Kennedy|The Tilly Project

“Producing this body of work has been one of the most intense experiences I’ve ever had,” Taylor told Buzzfeed News. “It’s fundamentally shifted how I react when someone tells me they lost a pet, or that a pet is dying. My heart is more open toward those going through this process, and I have a profoundly deep respect for veterinarians who do this daily. They’re impressive people,” Taylor explained. 

As people worldwide turn to social media to chronicle life’s challenging events, the interest in end-of-life pet photography is growing as well. To help fill that need, The Tilly Project, an organization founded in 2021 by photographer Lauren Smith Kennedy after the death of her beloved cat, connects pet photographers who are open to taking end-of-life photos to pet parents all over the globe. If you are in search of someone to take photos of your terminally ill or aging pet, you can search for a photographer on its website. You can also see some of Kennedy’s touching photos on her Facebook page and on Instagram.