Furry friends feature in calendar to raise money for SPCA

The Rotorua SPCA fundraising 2018 calendar. Photo/Deanna McCracken

Rotorua animal-lovers can have "cuteness" on their walls for all of 2018 thanks to a calendar fundraising for the local SPCA.

The calendar has been put together by Little Paws Photography photographer Deanna McCracken and will feature a number of furry friends.

Deanna says she has done a lot of work with the SPCA over years, such as taking their adoption photos, but this was the first time doing a calendar.

She says she first started doing the SPCA adoption photos quite a few years ago and people said, "Gosh, you could make a calendar out of that".

This calendar will feature all dogs except for one cat.

Deanna says she hopes to do the calendar again next year and incorporate more animals.

She says they put a 'model call' out and asked people to volunteer their animals for the calendar.

"So many responded and there were so many gorgeous animals. It was a very tough job to choose who would be in the photos."

Deanna has always been passionate about animals and their welfare, and has been photographing animals for about seven years.

She says she enjoys photographing them because of the way they get excited and love the treats, noises and cameras - "it's fulfilling working with them".

"I like the way you can capture memories. It's just a snapshot in time."

Moose is one of the furry models who will be featured in the calendar. Photo/Deanna McCracken

Deanna says people should get behind the calendars because all the money raised, minus print costs, goes to the Rotorua SPCA which is an amazing cause.

"They do so much and I don't think people appreciate or know how much they do. Some of the things they see and deal with, it takes a certain type of person to do that."

She also encourages people to buy a calendar because they will have 12 months of "cuteness" on their walls.

Deanna says a couple of pets in the calendar are from Tauranga, but other than that are all local and all the photos were taken in Rotorua.

She says they currently have pre-orders, with calendars going on sale at the SPCA, Phone Life at the mall and through Little Paws Photography in a couple of weeks.

The calendars cost $20 and they have had more than 70 pre-orders so far -"but we would love to increase that significantly".

People wanting to pre-order can contact the SPCA directly or Deanna through the Little Paws Facebook page.

Rotorua SPCA general manager Sue Kinsella says it is always helpful to have a volunteer donate their time. She says Deanna is an exceptional animal photographer.

"I've been lucky to have a preview and they look gorgeous."

She says the money raised from the calendars will go towards general expenses. The SPCA is heading into kitten season, so funds will be channelled into desexing and rehousing programmes.

Sue says the calendars will make a great Christmas present.

"We are incredibly grateful to Deanna at Little Paws Photography. It was all her idea and she has worked many hours to pull something like this together."