Working at WestVet really is a truly joyous experience.

Not just because of the loving pet owners we meet every single day. Or because we have an amazing highly-trained staff who love their jobs or the successful medical interventions that save and help animals every day. Or even because of the wonderful partnerships we have with all the talented veterinarians who provide care for pets and animals throughout the Treasure Valley.
Working here is a joy because we love animals and cherish the relationships that we have with them. All of us, from the front office support staff to the veterinary technicians to the veterinary specialists, have one thing in common – we are all pet owners.

This year for a holiday gift, WestVet offered the perfect gift for us— a photo shoot, for each employee with their family members (human, furry, or scaly). Incredibly, one of our talented Emergency Care Veterinarians, Dr. Curtis Brandt, DVM, is also an extremely gifted photographer.  You can see from his work that clearly his experience and love of working with animals combines with his artistic eye to create truly priceless photographs.

It was quite a production. Dr. Brandt packed in lights, gear, a backdrop, tripods, computer, camera, lenses, etc., and transformed our conference room into a little studio. Even with more than two hours set up time, that was the easy part. The tricky part? Capturing an animal’s true nature and personality in a very foreign environment.  This meant that often Dr. Brandt was lying on the floor to capture the perfect pet perspective, while assistants were squeaking toys, offering treats, or just out of the shot to help keep pets in place. 

Even trickier was capturing full family shots when pets and owners posed together. Some pets loved the extra cuddles with Mom and Dad but were very adept at ignoring the photographer—despite the many attempts to catch their eye. Others did not relax easily and had to be coaxed, prodded, cajoled, and bribed to strike a pose. But a few others just made themselves completely at home and flopped down on the floor and enjoyed being the center of it all for a moment or two.
Since many of us own multiple pets there were times the conference room was pretty chaotic. 

Three cats in one photo shoot? Check.
Five dogs at once. Check. Chihuahua in a tutu? Check.
Hamster? Check.
Snake. Check.
Incredible photos? Double Check. 

It was a wonderful experience to be part of and the prints will be a reminder of these sweet furry friends for years to come.

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