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Photos by Julia Comita courtesy of The Senior Superlatives Project
Superlatives
for your “Future Binge-Watch Buddy”
Oscar and balloon animals for “Most
Gentle” Petunia. Weisman wanted the
scenes to have an out-of-this-world artistic
element to them — a level of unrealistic
ness that you associate with high
school superlatives, like the aesthetic of
a high school play backdrop.
“There’s no one type of senior dog
and the superlatives are great because
they cover all those different
types of personalities,” Weisman said.
“Some senior dogs, yes, are slow and
a little more fragile, but there are
dogs that will pull you around on the
leash at 8 or 10 years old. Being really
specific about the kind of superlatives
— that was really important to me.”
Weisman’s objective with this project
is to put those common hesitations and
fears about adopting older dogs to rest.
She strongly believes senior animals
deserve a home and a shot at a comfortable
life just as much as a newborn
puppy. She points out it would also
ease shelter over-population if people
were more willing to adopt those animals
in “undesirable” demographics.
“It’s such a warped point of view,
thinking about older dogs and being
like, ‘Well what’s in it for me?’” Weisman
said. “Even if someone could give
you a piece of paper and tell you, 'You
only have two years with this dog' — that
could be the most incredible two years
for both parties. It’s the difference between
them spending their last years
in a shelter in a cage or with you. Think
about how it could change your life to
be that for them. Shelters are a great
safe space, but it’s not a permanent
place. Only having a few years with that
dog, you don’t even know what that
time could do for you.”
Looking forward, Weisman has hopes
the project can grow beyond these
initial eight portraits. She’s hoping to
showcase more dogs and work with
more New York-based shelters to continue
the conversation and do her part
in ending the senior pet stigma.
Thinking of adopting a senior pup?
“Educate yourself. Ask as many
questions as you can about their temperament,”
Weisman advises. “The
shelter always wants people to be
aware. They’re not a car dealership.
They want you to be 100 percent
aware of what you’re getting because
they don’t want them back. People
just need to work with their shelter.”
At time of print, one of the featured
pups, Woody ("Best Listener"), had
been adopted. Visit SeniorSuperlatives.
dog to learn more about the dogs and
the project.
/BOROMAG.COM
