With the number of abandoned dogs and cats on the rise, the animal rescue center in Bristol, England, has had to be inventive to replenish its resources. At the beginning of December he will therefore auction paintings of these animals.
• Also read: First human case of swine flu detected in UK
• Also read: Norway: A 20 meter high Christmas tree travels to London
In the studio at the Animal Rescue Center (ARC) in Bristol in the west of England, dogs Rosie and Alba work hard on their canvases. No brush is required, just an effective mouth and paws. A natural disregard for the classical rules of composition is of course necessary.
AFP
It is a new genre of abstract art that may seem a bit childish and chaotic, but its mission is much more important than the opinions of critics.
The number of abandoned animals has increased sharply in the UK due to high inflation and a rise in interest rates, leading to higher mortgage and rental costs.
AFP
“People simply can’t afford insurance and veterinary care,” Bee Lawson, animal behavior specialist at ARC, told AFP.
The British animal welfare charity RSPCA says it is “deeply concerned” about an increase in animal abandonments as winter approaches.
Between the start of the year and the end of October, the RSPCA received 17,838 reports of abandoned animals in England and Wales.
AFP
If this trend continues, nearly 21,500 reports are expected to be received in 2023, compared to around 16,000 in 2020.
“Many rescue centers are bursting at the seams, so we are facing an unprecedented winter crisis,” said RSPCA Inspectorate Commissioner Dermot Murphy.
Up to 370 euros
The ARC, which is a member of the RSPCA but is privately funded, has therefore had to find creative ways to bring in money.
AFP
Center staff came up with the idea of hosting an online “Mutt Gala” in early December to auction off animal artwork. Most cost around fifty pounds sterling, but for a painting of “Major,” a white husky dog, prices rise to as much as £320.
According to Bee Lawson, painting is an effective therapeutic treatment for abandoned dogs, who often arrive at the center traumatized after being abandoned by their owners and left to live on the streets alone and without food.
“Sniffing, licking and chewing are really beneficial because they are naturally calming behaviors for dogs,” she explains.
AFP
To entice them to go into the nets, ARC handlers use peanut butter and cheese, which encourages them to sniff, lick and get creative.
“We take a blank canvas or something similar, apply non-toxic paint to the canvas, put cling film over it and then put their favorite treats inside,” explains Jodie Bennett, one of the center managers.
“The dogs approach the food, lick it and play with it.” Some dogs run across their canvas, others paint with their whole body.
AFP
“Aspiring Artist”
According to Jodie Bennett, “Major,” the white husky, has proven to be one of the most popular performers at the center. Her works “Excited I” and “Excited II” received a lot of interest from critics and investors in the art sector, she assures.
He creates paintings that are “bold and reflect his personality,” continues Jodie Bennett. “He’s a great artist in the making,” she says seriously.
A yellow, orange and red work titled “Burning Man” was created by a cat named “Cammie” who unexpectedly showed up during one of the painting sessions. “She used fiery colors, her favorite colors because she is a fiery woman,” Jodie Bennett continues.
She says she is “very proud” of these animals. “I would like to hang (her works, editor’s note) on my wall,” she assures. “With training and effort,” she dreams, it could even be that these works will one day be hung in the Tate, London’s famous museum.