When a dog winds up in a shelter, the rescue organization’s first order of business is usually to make sure the animal is spayed or neutered, if it isn’t already. The inevitable result of the routine procedure is temporary confinement in an Elizabethan doggy collar, colloquially known as a “cone of shame.” But one clever, canine-loving photographer is erasing the stigma associated with the utilitarian medical device by sprucing them up and posting adorable photos of adoptable shelter dogs to social media in an ongoing project titled Cones of Fame.
Eight months ago, photographer Erin Einbender took a volunteer position with Chicago-area rescue organization One Tail at a Time. As she started to think about her final project for the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Einbender came up with the idea to merge her passions and create Cones of Fame. Thanks to social media, the project has helped find all her canine models permanent homes, too.
Videos by VICE
“The dogs looked so sad in their cones,” she tells Creators. “I wanted to empower the dogs while educating people on the importance of spaying and neutering pets.”
Going forward, Einbender aims to photograph more rescue dogs in the Chicago area, with hopes to expand the project to other cities across the US. She’s also interested in collaborating with designers and artists to craft specialty cones that can be auctioned off to benefit rescue organizations. In the meantime, thanks to all the well-deserved attention generated by Cones of Fame, we’re rooting for Einbender to earn an “A.”
Check out Ellie, Miggy, Snowflake, and other pretty pooches posing below:
Related:
The Internet Is Freaking Out Over This Painting Shiba Inu
This Is What Happens When Humans Use Animals to Make Art
Depressing Photos of Dogs Waiting for Their Owners to Return
