Through her volunteer animal saving projects, photographer Beáta Angyalosi has found hosts for more, than one hundred dogs. She says this activity is like a drug, once you’ve realized how rewarding it is, you cannot stop.
Transylvania NOW: Where did all begin? Have you been a dog savior since you were a kid?
Beáta Angyalosi: No. I mean I’ve always loved animals, growing up at a farm, like the one at my grandparents’ – you get to know and love them but I was not this crazy about them. Ever since I found and saved my dog, Fickó, my whole lifestyle changed and I began to be very responsive to the problems of stray animals. I found my dog during a trip to Pádis. That’s a dumping place for baby animals, there are a lot of wolves over there, that eat them up. He was three months old, very thin, could not even stand on his feet. He is a terrier mix probably coming from a hunter’s dog.
Ha has given me a lot of freedom, motion and safety, we’ve been hiking and camping ever since. A dog teaches you to be present in the moment, to be happy for your life. He’s been a family member ever since. Since I have him, I started to notice all the similar situations. There is an incredible number of unfortunate dogs on the streets. When I have some free time, I’m trying to help. I always have an extra animal in my house. Right now for example a three legged dog.
I earn my living from wedding and baby photography nature photos are just a hobby, animal photography is volunteering.
Transylvania NOW: You organize photo shootings for pets with the title #dogsarefamily and you offer the income for the sterilization of stray animals. Why is this important?
Beáta Angyalosi: People do not obey the law and they do not sterilize their dogs, that are not pure breed with a certificate. Though there are a lot of campaigns that offer sterilization for free, you just need to pick up the phone and take your dog over there.
There’s a problem with the unofficial breeders also, that sell animals on the olx. marketplace site and make a lot of money. It is a little known fact that many of these little animals don’t even make to the buyer, they die in the box, they are sent in on a bus or on a train. Many of these unofficial dog breeders sell dogs as one kind of breed and in a couple of months they turn out to be a mix of something. Many of these cruel owners take these animals to the shelters then. When I started to attend the shelters I realized that if I would really like to make a change, I need to work for preventing stray animals to reproduce and raise funds for sterilization. That’s how this project was born. I held an event, where I did photo shootings for people with their dogs in exchange for a donation. I also made calendars, picture postcards using my photos, these are sold at events and at associations.
Transylvania NOW: Taking pictures of shelter dogs in order to help them find a host is not an easy task.
Beáta Angyalosi: Actually it is a very hard one. There are a lot of sad animals in the shelters, that are only cared for but nobody can afford to actually spend time with them. There are also pets of pure breed, because there are many owners, who buy them for their looks and later on they just don’t like the dog’s personality and drop them at the shelter after a couple of months. People like pure breeds because they are beautiful, they are „instagrammable” and they can show them off on the online spaces. I am trying to take happy pictures of stray dogs for people to develop interest in them and take them home.
I came up with a Pawsome Calendar for 2018. I created a contest for adopted dogs. I had 12 magnificent winners who got the chance to have their picture taken in a studio. The money was donated to the iCare Association in collaboration with TAC (Transylvania Animal Care) who sterilized many cats and dogs.
Transylvania NOW : How many animals have you saved so far?
Beáta Angyalosi : I’ve found hosts for more than one hundred dogs and I personally saved 23 dogs and 5 cats from dying.
Photos: Beáta Angyalosi, Erős Erika, Kún Dóri
