More than pets – portraits of love

I caught the Why We Love Our Pets exhibition on its very last day (April 29), just before the photographs were taken down. And I’m so glad I did. It was more than just a display of portraits – it was a window into the deep bonds people share with their animals.

Hosted at the Waterloo Neighbourhood Centre, the exhibition featured photographs from residents with their pets. Dogs and cats were the stars, of course, but one photo showed a man calmly posing with a snake coiled around his neck! These weren’t just pets – they were companions, healers, even lifelines sometimes.

I spoke to Elle Brind, coordinator at The Factory in Waterloo, and Shane Brown, Healthy Living program manager for the Sydney Local Health District, who helped coordinate the exhibition. Shane also contributed photographs together with Krunal Padhir and Rebecca Reddin.

Elle explained that the project began when a peer educator – an avid cat lover – suggested workshops on pet care and the meaning of pet ownership. “She felt people didn’t understand how important pets can be, especially for those who don’t have much else,” Shane added.

With a successful $10,000 grant from the City of Sydney, the team began taking photos – first at Northcott Pet Day, then in people’s homes and out on the streets around Waterloo.

The response was hugely positive. “People were really excited to see themselves and their pets on the wall,” Elle said. “It sparked conversations – people would stop and point and say, ‘That’s my dog!’ or share stories about what their pet meant to them.”

Some residents also shared their stories, and several of these will appear in a follow-up booklet later this year. Part 2 of the exhibition will be a continuation of the project, this time in print. “We’ll be doing a call-out for more participants from the Waterloo area,” Elle said. “We want to gather more stories and capture what pets mean to people – in both photos and words.”

One of the featured residents, Michael Mihas, told me he was happy to take part. “I’m always involved with what’s going on here,” he said. Though one of his two pets now lives with his sister, he still cherishes the moment captured. When I asked if he’d be part of the upcoming book, he smiled, “Sure. Why not?”

This exhibition reminded me that pets are more than animals. They’re anchors – holding us close to comfort, joy, and each other.

1 of 3