About Hooray for the Underdog!

We’re Janet Healey and Joe Grisham. We’ve been making pictures together since 1992. I (Janet) was working as a stylist and Joe as a photographer when we decided we wanted to give back to our community. Our “great” idea was to use our talents in advertising to make a difference in the way people looked at throwaway dogs. I got on the phone and called all the local animal shelters and rescue organizations to see if we could help find homes for their dogs by taking photos of them. Just about everybody thought I was trying to sell them something. But one small group listened to our idea. They showed up at the studio that week with 11 Jack Russell Terriers (one of the most highly abandoned breeds in this country) in crates, on leash, off leash and with some being carried like babies. They completely took over the place. Not one dog stayed on set or cooperated in any way. But by the end of the day we were hooked. Exhausted, elated and in love with every one of them, this was the start of our rooting for the underdog, our greeting card line of rescue dogs and pet photography, and our pro bono work that is still going strong today. In fact, we have reserved the first Thursday of every month to shoot any and all “dogs needing homes” to be posted on various rescue organization’s websites, Petfinder.com and Facebook.Read their story