When I first started out doing pencil portraits I pretty much gave away whatever drawings I did. They were always of pets belonging to friends of mine so naturally after I finished I let them have it.

In an effort to do some originals that I could keep I went to Save A Pet in Grayslake, IL for inspiration. I found it in spades! The tiger kitty I had uploaded a bit ago - a beautiful cat named Junipurr was one of the results of that visit, but the first one and the one that touched my heart the most was Black Dog.

Black dog had been found in an abandoned warehouse left behind by an owner who no longer wanted him. He had been eating tin cans because he was so hungry. He had a cancerous tumor in his stomach that was removed successfully but required a long tough recovery. When I met him there was absolutely no question that he'd been through a hard life and I was so angry with the person who just left him in that warehouse to die.

Due to the tough life he lived he was not suitable for a home with young children or other dogs and I knew he could not come home with me.

I wished so badly that I could remove the suffering that was still so clearly seen in his eyes so I drew his portrait in an effort for this human to honor his life in defiance of the one human who tried to destroy it.

I shared copies of this portrait with Save a Pet who's staff loved and cherished Black Dog. Last I'd heard of him he'd been adopted by a staff member and found the loving home he never had.

I still own and cherish the original and am so honored to have drawn the portrait of a dog who knew both tragedy and triumph in his life.

I'm so glad to have shared his story with you and hope you are as touched by his life as I was.