Narelle didn’t always want to be a pet photographer. In fact, it wasn’t something she had ever considered before. It wasn’t until the end of 2022 when she said a very difficult goodbye to her 12-year-old English Pointer Benson that her purpose would become clear and The Furry Folk was born.
“Benson (Benny) was my baby in every sense of the word,” said Narelle.
“I got Benny when he was eight weeks old and from that point onwards, he was with me for everything. We moved multiple times during our 12 years together, including from Melbourne to the Sunshine Coast in 2021, and we had so many adventures together”.
"“The whole experience made me realise and appreciate how special the relationship with my dog was".
“When my vet started talking about euthanasia I was very taken aback,” Narelle explained. “Benny and I were so happy on the Sunshine Coast, we loved the sunshine and the beach walks and even though Benny was having some struggles I was in shock. Whilst I knew Benny was getting older, it hadn’t occurred to me at all that we were approaching the end.
“What followed was two incredibly hard weeks. Although I didn’t want to, I did need to start thinking about it and we visited another Vet who said the same thing. Benny continued to deteriorate in this time and became very anxious requiring full time supervision. Once he started stumbling and was also finding it difficult to get to his feet, I got the courage to look up Sunset Vets and make that initial contact”.
“The whole experience made me realise and appreciate how special the relationship with my dog was and that by making the difficult decision to say goodbye when the time comes, you are showing your pet one last act of love. Although so devastating, the experience was special, and it made me want to help others document and remember their relationship with their pets”.
Narelle who already had a background in photography had dabbled before with portrait photography but explained that it never felt right.
"By making the difficult decision to say goodbye when the time comes, you are showing your pet one last act of love."
“The first time I photographed a family with their dog I loved it. Every shoot is different and often a little chaotic, but that just makes it perfect and creates a special experience to remember. In January 2023 I realised this was what I wanted to do, and I started The Furry Folk.
“The Furry Folk offers pet photography of all types including end of life shoots. Having been through this myself I know just how precious those photos are and along with honouring the time you have left with your fur baby; I want to help others capture moments with their pets that they can appreciate forever.
“Sunset Vets helped make a traumatic experience as peaceful as possible. This experience along with my relationship with Benny and the unconditional love we shared pointed me in the direction I was supposed to go. Through The Furry Folk, my silver lining was found and now I get to help other families celebrate the bond they share with their pets.
“I know Benny is still guiding me and he continues to live on through the dogs I photograph and the ones that sit next to me and say hello when I’m at the beach. The Furry Folk exists in his honour and his paw print which is featured in my logo reminds me of this every day.”
For more information on the Furry Folk CLICK HERE.
For more information on Sunset Vets Palliative and End of Life Care CLICK HERE.
