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Giving Back to the Animals – 2018

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As we start 2018, I’m forced (in a good way) to reflect on this past year and all that it has brought my little family. Last year I started 2017 with a fresh set of goals and one of those goals is to find a way to incorporate the act of giving into my business plan. Now, I don’t mean just giving a gift here and there. I mean giving in a way that it could change lives. I wanted to find a way to give at a constant.

If you know Doug and I, you know that we are passionate about our dogs. Ask us a dog related question, and be prepared for stories, and pictures, and maybe even a funny video here and there. We have three rescue dogs and have fostered over ten dogs through local rescues in the Richmond area to include RAL and FETCH A Cure. So, it’s pretty safe to say we love dogs.

In fact, we love dogs so much that Verlee Bishop Weddings started out as pet photography in 2015. Our family has always included a furry family member (or two, or three) and ever since I was a little girl I have had a special love for animals. I wanted this love to translate into photographs. I wanted other people to be able to remember their furry family members after they passed. But, I also had another want, a “why” to my first business. I wanted to give animals in shelters a better chance at being adopted by a loving family and I hoped that my photography would help give animals a second chance at life – the chance to know the same unconditional love they so easily give first.

With my 2017 goal to give more in mind, I wanted to find a way to give back to the animal who has brought us so much joy throughout the years. So, how do I bring my love for dogs, wanting to help dogs through my business, and wanting to incorporate giving into my business model, together? The answer seemed to be staring me in the face (almost literally as Murphy is waiting for me to finish this post so he can cuddle)…My business has provided myself with amazing opportunities over the past year and this is one of those opportunities! I’m excited to announce that a portion of every wedding booked will be donated to a local Richmond, VA rescue to help dogs like Luke pictured below!

ps. If you are interested in adopting a dog into your family consider rescuing! More information can be found here and here. Doug and I are also happy to answer any questions you may have about adopting!

I’m pretty excited about incorporating this into my business model and I’d love to hear about ways you have decided to pay it forward this year!