Sad, Humane Goodbyes

Taiwan photographer hopes images of doomed shelter dogs encourage pet owners to be responsible
By Tassanee Vejpongsa, The Associated Press 

Taiwanese photographer Tou Chih-kang has been visiting dog shelters for two years now, making human-like portraits that give a sense of dignity and esteem to some 400 canines, in hopes of educating the public on the proper care of pets. This year Taiwanese authorities will kill an estimated 80,000 stray dogs at 38 pounds scattered throughout the island. In the photo, taken on Monday, April 9, 2012, in a makeshift studio, Tou Chih-kang and his assistant steady a scared dog for a portrait in the final moments of its life before being put down by lethal injection at a shelter in Taoyuan, northern Taiwan. (AP Photo/Wally Santana)