A Man and His Dog: The Debate Over Animal Care

1. A Man and His Dog: The Debate Over Animal Care Ashley Butler Fall 2013

3. Part One: 5W/1H • WHO is in the photograph? A man and his dog. The man is unnamed, but lives in Sao Paulo, Brazil. • WHAT is happening that is not obvious in the photograph? The man is hugging his dog on a stretcher. What is not obvious is that the dog is at a veterinarian hospital and is receiving free health care as his owner is a low-income resident. The municipal government of Sao Paulo is financing this health care for animals. • WHEN was the photo taken (try not to just identify a year of publication; try to also establish generational understanding)? This photograph was published in 2012, by Reuters. The photographers last name is Doce.

4. Part One: 5W/1H • WHERE was this photo taken? Taken in a veterinarian hospital in Sao Paulo, Brazil. • WHY was this photographed at this moment in time? This photograph was taken to show the love a man can have for his pet. “Man’s best friend” is always there for it’s owner, but what if the owner is unable to care for its companion. This image reflects what is not expected: the love a man can have for his best friend. • HOW are the subjects involved within the photograph? The man is sitting on the floor, while the dog is on a stretcher. The head of the dog and the man are touching, with the man’s arm draped over the dog’s back. The dog is sleeping, and the man’s face shows worry.

5. Part One:Caption A man embraces his dog as she receives saline from a drip from a veterinarian hospital financed by Sao Paulo’s municipal government. The hospital offers free health care for the pets of low-income residents in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

6. Part Two: Aesthetic Impact • Angle: The camera is at an equal height as the man and his dog. By not aiming up or down on the man and his pet, it establishes an immediate understanding of equality. Neither man or beast is more important. This allows the “reader” to recognize the focus is on something more abstract. • Composition: The line of sight goes directly to where the man and his dog are touching. This is in large part due to the large amount of white space in the upper right hand corner. The white space indicates sterility and a lack of love, however because the eye is immediately drawn to the one place in the photograph that showcases life.

7. Part Two: Aesthetic Impact • Framing: Within the frame is a hospital bed for animals, the dog, the man, and an IV bag. The man is obviously kneeling, hugging and holding his pet close to him, laying his head on his dog’s head. The IV bag is off to the right of the frame, farther away from the man and his dog. The dog is laying on his side, facing the camera. • Emotions: The man looks tired. He also looks worried. His eyebrows are furrowed and his body language suggests that he is vulnerable (kneeling, not standing – indicating a lowering of oneself to his pet’s level). The dog shows no expression, which could indicate death, near death, or even just sleeping. The ambiguity helps to further the audience’s interpretation of the man’s pain. For this, it causes the audience to feel compassion for both the man and his dog.

8. Part Two: Aesthetic Impact • Coloration: The dominant color in this photo is white and black. The stark white wall behind the man and his dog indicate a sense of sterility. The audience would be reminded of a lack of love and compassion, which is unusual considering that white is representative of life and innocence. The black, on the other hand, typically, represents evil. In this case, stands apart from the white. It’s life and it’s compassion. The colors themselves are reverse symbolic representations.

9. Part Three: Form & Composition This photo is not photo-shopped and it is not tampered with. In fact, when examining the credibility of the author, there is little question as to his/her trustworthiness. This is in large part due to the simplicity of the image. There is a man and his dog, set against a white background. There is nothing to distract the “reader” to see anything beyond the main focus. The photo was taken in Sao Paulo, Brazil and was taken to show the changes in veterinarian finances that were taking place in late 2012. By publishing this image, a debate about care for animals was becoming more and more widespread. Even with this in consideration, it is not far-fetched to assume that there is nothing questionable in the author’s intentions.

10. Part Three: Form & Composition The effect on the audience would be primarily focused on sadness. This is a dog that is ill, possibly dying or dead, and a man who cannot bear to leave his side. The initial reaction of the image would feel sorrow for the man, maybe even for the dog. However, after reading that the photograph is linked to animal care and finances, another reaction might arise: anger. This would be considered a form of exploitation to this person in the audience.

11. Part Three: Form & Composition The photo is primarily two basic colors: white and black. Similarly, this can be linked to life and death. The man and dog are both black, and are sad and forlorn. In terms of placement, the man and dog are in the lower left hand corner. However, despite being the primary focus of the image, they only comprise maybe 40% of the image itself. The rest of the image is consumed by a white background. This naturally leads to a critical statement about life and death. Pending on the side you take, you either endorse the care given to animals without question or you don’t. You support life (regardless of the type of life: human or animal), or you don’t.

12. Part Four: Research-Based Argument • I focused on those that are in favor of basic animal rights. • I found that animals are do not have a general clause for protection. This enables plants that slaughter animals for food the ability to lock animals in filthy cages without any room to grow or move. This also allows companies the ability to test medical products on animals regardless if it could mean their death or not. The basic stance of people in favor of animal rights is literally to offer protection to those that do not have a voice. Their actions may sometimes be violent and misunderstood, but their intentions are pure.

13. Part Five: Research-Based Counter Argument • I focused on the opposite viewpoint: the needs of the people outweigh the negative actions taken on animals. • Through this project, I discovered that many people justify their actions of medical/scientific testing on animals because they offer the ability to lower a negative human interaction. If a human dies, it impacts an entire family or community. But if it is a rat, it seems to have less of a global impact. As such, these people justify animals not having rights because human beings are more important in the grand scheme.

14. Part Six: Historical Narrative • I wrote about the man’s journey to the veterinarian hospital. He was worried about his best friend, and the fact that he might not be able to save his friend because he does not currently have a job. Upon arriving, he learns that his dog has diabetes. He does not know how to care for his friend, but learns that the hospital will help with the costs that he will incur.

15. Part Six: Historical Narrative • I was the man’s voice. I decided not to be the dog as it would be difficult to portray loyalty and pain in the same essay. • My lesson was to show that sometimes the unexpected can happen for both good and bad. The dog had diabetes which is a lifelong illness. However, the man also learned that he would be supported with health care. We cannot protect or shield ourselves from good or bad things happening, but we just have to accept the unexpected and hope for the best.

17. 5W/1H • Who: There is no single person in this photograph. The only “who” would be a monkey behind bars of a cage. • What: What seems like an innocent monkey in a cage (possibly a zoo), the monkey is in a cage within a science laboratory. The monkey is a test subject. • When: This photograph was published in 2010. However, due to the widespread publication of this photograph it is unclear as to if it was taken in the 2000s or if it was done earlier.

18. 5W/1H • Where: The photograph was taken in a laboratory that specializes in using animals for cosmetic testing. • When: This photograph was taken at this moment to show the vulnerability of animals behind bars. • How: The monkey is not moving and has his head tilted towards the camera indicating that he is cognizant of the situation around him. Aside from this, there is not much movement.

19. Form & Composition The photograph is shot in black and white. This allows this image to remove any graphic imagery (e.g.: blood). The camera is angled up, indicating the camera has more power than this monkey who is not only “lower” than the camera but is also behind bars. The author is attempting to elicit a sympathetic response regarding the issues of animals involved in testing.

21. 5W/1H • Who: There is no single person in this photograph. The only “who” would be a dog behind a wire fence. • What: This is a pit bull, one of the most targeted dogs in the 2000s for animal attacks against humans. • When: This photograph was taken and published in 2009 following a pit bull attack on a child.

22. 5W/1H • Where: The photograph was taken outside of the kennel that was holding the pit bull that was slated to be euthanized for its attack. • When: This photograph was taken for an article in order to be part of the growing debate about the right to own and care for a pit bull despite the conversation of their attitude. • How:The dog is in the center of the photograph, but his face has various aspects pressed against the wire cage.

23. Form & Composition The photograph is shot in black and white. The dog itself is behind bars, and is slated to be euthanized. The coloration of this image is designed to make the argument simple: does a dog deserve to die for a mistake? There are images that are similar to this of humans on death row. The level view is the most notable feature of the image though – you look into the dogs eyes and you see his paw. The framing allows you to immediately recognize a potential argument for animal rights.

25. 5W/1H • Who: There is a woman walking a collier throughout a hospital hallway. • What: This dog is part of a therapy program in which visits people in the hospital to help lift spirits. • When: This photograph was taken and published in 2010 following an article praising the use of dogs in hospitals for therapeutic recovery.

26. 5W/1H • Where: The photograph was taken in a hospital hallway in Atlanta. • When: This photograph was taken for an article showing the many benefits of dogs being used in hospitals. The “Helping Paw” program was receiving nationwide attention and this photograph was part of its celebration. • How:The hallway is the main focus, allowing the focus to see how calm the dog is in its surroundings.

27. Form & Composition This color photograph has a woman and a dog positioned on the right of a hospital hallway. By doing this, the focus is drawn to how calm this dog is in the surroundings that are filled with foreign smells, people, and other situations. The dog is looking up to its “owner,” indicating that it is loyal and will follow directions only from this person. The camera is eye-level with the woman, again establishing that the dog is subservient.

29. 5W/1H • Who: There is a chiropractor massaging the legs of a paralyzed lion. • What: This lion is paralyzed in Brazil. Due to the new policies to support animal care, this veterinarian is able to keep this lion in her home and well cared for with donations. • When: This photograph was taken and published in 2011. It was part of a series of images published that show Ariel (the lion) and the care he needs on a daily basis.

30. 5W/1H • Where: The photograph was taken in the home of veternarianCamilaMorandini, massage therapist Celina Cutrale and acupuncturist NadjaRocha’s home. • When: This photograph was taken in 2011 following the passing of mandate that allowed these three women to keep this lion in their home. • How:The focus is on Ariel, however in the background you see all three women being part of his well-being.

31. Form & Composition This photograph is centered on Ariel the lion. He is lying on white sheets, and the three women that care for him are in focus but are in the background. This positioning indicates that the focus is not on the action of the women but on the well-being of Ariel the lion. This helps to reevaluate the focus the author wants you to have: the actions of humans are improving the life of this animal. The animal is the focus.

32. Central Argument All of these photographs help to indicate that animals play a large role in the lives of humans. They are friends, they are companions, sources of support, even food. However, by looking at the photos, there are two kinds of people: people that care and fight for animals to have a better life and people who take advantage of animals. Animals lack a voice, and the one paradigm that could be argued is that people need to evaluate their role in animals’ lives. We can improve the lives of animals, but we also have the ability to ruin or harm the lives of animals.

33. Works Cited “A Helping Paw.” Tails. Pet Media Group, Inc. 25 September 2013. Web. 2 December 2013. “Animal Rights.” Eco-Friendly. N.P. 10 November 2011. Web. 2 December 2013. “Day In Photos: August 23, 2012.” Voice of America. N.P. 23 August 2012. Web. 2 December 2013. “Healing Touch.” International Business Times. N.P. 23 July 2011. Web. 2 December 2013. “Parisky: Cosmetic Animal Testing.” XOXO: World. N.P. 23 February 2013. Web. 2 December 2013.