From a Living Hell to Heaven on Earth: The Inhumanity and Humanity of Humans
By Mark Edward Harris
Visit Home for Life Sanctuary website: homeforlife.org
In a remote area of western Wisconsin, dogs and cats who otherwise would have ended up on death row are given a reprieve. They can now live out their lives in peace and comfort and with companionship at Home for Life (HFL), which was not afforded them outside the sanctuary’s gates.
Mark Edward Harris © All rights reserved.
“The inhumanity that brought many of the 235 cats and dogs to the sanctuary is heartbreaking. Still, the humanity of Executive Director Lisa LaVerdiere, who founded HFL in 1997, the two dozen staff members that care for the animals, the people that initially rescued the animals, and all the donors that support the facility does offer a glimmer of hope.”
– Mark Edward Harris
Caden came to HFL from the Anti-Cruelty Society in Chicago with a dislocated left hip. 
Amal, from Tunisia, was shot in the head, the bullet shattering her lower jaw. 
An HFL employee carries Poppy, the daughter of Willow, a stray cat found pregnant and alone in rural Minnesota.
Because of my orangutan portrait series that resulted in the book, The People of the Forest, I was asked by a public relations person I had worked with for years if I would be interested in doing some pro bono work for Home For Life. I started packing as soon as I saw their website and read the stories behind some of their rescues, including two gunshot victims. I do believe that the camera has the ability to bring about positive change, and I wanted to apply that concept here.
Una was shot in the face in Iran when he was six months old. Veterinarians there tried unsuccessfully to repair the resulting hole. His face was reconstructed, with his snout being considerably shortened. 
Bowser, a long hair German Shepherd, has EPI, a metabolic condition that has serious effects on the pancreas. 
Lollipop, from Iran’s Vafa Animal Shelter, was found as a traumatized stray, suffering from a back injury that left her a paraplegic.
I was able to transport my portable studio in a Think Tank Production Manager case and my cameras and lenses in a Think Tank Airport International rolling bag. I let the wheels take the weight rather than my back. Once at the sanctuary, I set up two Profoto strobes in beauty dishes, one as a key light and one as a fur light (as opposed to a hair light), and used my Nikon Z9 with a Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/2.8 lens for the portrait sessions.
For the reportage part of my project, I used my Nikkor Z 14-24mm f/2.8, 24-70mm f/2.8, and 70-200mm f/2.8 lenses on my Z9. These fast lenses allow me to work quickly in lowlight situations while the camera’s sensor is designed to work at higher ISOs without excessive digital noise.
Mark Edward Harris © All rights reserved.
“When it comes to cats and dogs, most shelters have two options, adoption or euthanasia. Home for Life offers a “Third Door,” a new concept in animal rescue and welfare for what might be considered unadoptable animals, giving them a place to live in peace and comfort for the rest of their days.”
– Mark Edward Harris
Mark Edward Harris © All rights reserved.
The inhumanity that brought many of the 235 cats and dogs to the sanctuary is heartbreaking. Still, the humanity of Executive Director Lisa LaVerdiere, who founded HFL in 1997, the two dozen staff members that care for the animals, the people that initially rescued the animals, and all the donors that support the facility does offer a glimmer of hope.
Working with these animals, many with PTSD and various handicaps, is difficult but rewarding. Growing up with a father with polio who rose above his physical issues gave me a deeper perspective on the maimed dogs and cats coming before my lens. All must find ways to adapt to their physical realities. I have seen the extreme success of this adaptation in covering the Paralympics.
Right: Soosan is a Whippet mix from Iran’s Vafa Animal Shelter. She had two legs amputated after being hit by a car. She loves to get out for runs in the sanctuary’s meadows using her cart.
Mark Edward Harris © All rights reserved.
Right: Bowser, a long hair German Shepherd, has EPI, a metabolic condition that has serious effects on the pancreas.
Mark Edward Harris © All rights reserved.
Mark Edward Harris © All rights reserved.
When it comes to cats and dogs, most shelters have two options, adoption or euthanasia. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) estimates that almost a million cats and dogs a year are euthanized in the US alone. Home for Life offers a “Third Door,” a new concept in animal rescue and welfare for what might be considered unadoptable animals, giving them a place to live in peace and comfort for the rest of their days. They are housed in multiple buildings with large windows, heated floors, piped-in soothing music, and filled with beds, sofas, toys, fresh food, and water. None are caged, and all have access to outdoor fenced areas. Dogs also have the opportunity to exercise in one of four off-leash meadows several times a week, while cats climb trees in their spaces. There are also separate catteries for felines that have tested positive for leukemia or FIV.
Through their example, HFL hopes to discourage euthanasia for animals who can still live a quality life while at the same time encouraging spaying and neutering to reduce the number of animals needing rescue. HFL also encourages shelters to develop creative ways to find homes for adoptable animals.
Mark Edward Harris © All rights reserved.
Though abuse of animals varies from country to country, it is sadly universal. While attitudes are evolving for the better, dogs in Iran and the Middle East are fare particularly poorly despite a Hadith quoting the Prophet Muhammad, “A good deed done to an animal is as meritorious as a good deed done to a human being, while an act of cruelty to an animal is as bad as an act of cruelty to a human being.”
There are so many other positive quotes about animals.
Writer Charles Yu penned, “If I could be half the person my dog is, I’d be twice the human I am,” while Charles de Gaulle wrote, “The better I get to know men, the more I find myself loving dogs.”
Richard Rohr agrees, “If obedience, unconditional love, and loyalty are gonna get you into heaven, there’s going to be a lot more dogs in heaven than people.”
Dr. Jane Goodall, best known for her work with chimpanzees, spoke at a Home for Life fundraiser to support the dogs and cats there. She stated simply, “We should have respect for animals because it makes better human beings of us all.” It doesn’t seem like that great a favor to ask.
