Black shelter animals weren't getting adopted. A photographer had an idea: glam shots

jersey pike county animal shelter
Jersey is a one-year-old female mixed breed. She is available for adoption at the Pike County Animal Shelter. (Maggie Epling/Maggie Epling)

Maggie Epling / Maggie Epling

Maggie Epling was looking for a chance to do something good during her summer break from college. She wanted to find an activity that combined her interests and she found the perfect opportunity at a local animal shelter.

“I thought about volunteering and I’ve always loved animals and photography,” she told NPR.

For the past two weeks, Epling has been taking portraits of cats and dogs at the Pike County Animal Shelter in Pike, Kentucky.