Life

Pit Bulls In Flower Crowns Will Met Your Heart

by Kat George

Pit bulls get an unfairly bad rap as pets, but these adorable photos of pit bulls in flower crowns might change your mind. The photos are part of a series by photographer Sophie Gamand, which began as Sophie confronting her own fear about pit bulls, but later involved to a more universal project. The Flower Power series, as it is titled (and is currently on display in Paris at the Adrien / Kavachnina gallery, until October 12), is driven by Sophie's desire "to see if art was powerful enough to change the way we view pit bulls, and therefore, the way we treat them." Sophie says it's "not just to show an unexpected version of pit bulls, but to remind people of the fragility of their lives, and the heartbreaking fate they know."

Sophie tells Bustle that, "America euthanizes between 800,000 and 1,000,000 pit bulls every year. Whether you like these dogs or not, we need to address this crisis and stop this quiet massacre." To that end, all of the dogs in Sophie's portraits are available for adoption. And if a dog doesn't fit into your currently lifestyle, you can help the cause by buying a pit bull Flower Power calendar, tote bag, or print (the latter which you can obtain by contacting Sophie). Meanwhile, Sophie has photographed 150 pit bulls so far, many of which have found homes because of her portraits. For a closer look, check out Sophie Gamand's Instagram or the tag #PitBullFlowerPower. Below are a small selection of the happy dogs up for adoption:

1. Adrienne At Hempstead Town Animal Shelter

Adrienne is deaf. Find out more about her here.

2. Aphrodite At Sean Casey Animal Rescue

Adopt Aphrodite here.

3. Finn From Sav-A-Bull

Sophie says, "Finn was pulled from the city shelter (the Animal Care Centers of NYC or ACC) by Sav-A-Bull in honor of the campaign I created and shot for the ACC, because he looked like one of the models of the campaign (Dan, who is Sav-A-Bull’s mascot). He is very sweet and loving!" Adopt Finn here.

4. Jonas From The City Shelter

Sophie says, "Jonas was brought to the city shelter when her owner got evicted. Her sister was euthanized but Jonas was pulled by a rescue. She is adorable and extremely sweet and happy. She wiggled her butt the whole shoot!" Check out her Facebook page here.

5. Peapod At The Animal Haven Shelter

Peapod had 8 puppies while at the shelter and all have been adopted while she waits. Adopt Peapod here.

Images: Courtesy of Sophie Gamand.