For thousands of shelter animals around the world, a single picture can be the defining factor between adoption, or death.
During a visit to Cyrpus, U.K.-based photographer Stuart Holroyd came across the home of a British pensioner who was taking care of dozens of stray dogs in the face of rising animal cruelty in the country. The pups -- some blind, some three-legged, all adorable -- only had hugs to share despite a life of unbearable hardship. "There was an overwhelming sense of love from these dogs that just hadn't had any," he told The Huffington Post.
Holroyd worked with Kayte Wilson-Smith, who houses up to 70 dogs at a time in her home in Cyprus, to create these magical images of stray dogs in need of some love.
"She's chosen to put everything she has into these dogs," he said of Wilson-Smith. "I wanted to do something different, I wanted to do something that hadn't been done before. To try to help people understand the problem, not just in Cyprus, but with all stray animals, with all stray dogs."
Many of the animals seen in Holroyd's photos may be too far away for people to adopt, but he said his photographs embody the needs of loving pets around the globe, waiting for a new forever home.
"Each one represents every stray dog out there. Every animal that can't take care of itself. We have a responsibility as human beings to help the animals and people that cannot help themselves," he said.
Take a look at Holroyd's photos below, and check out The Bay Tree Project's fundraiser here.
