Minnie

An upstate New York couple comfort their golden retriever, Minnie, as

she lies near death at the Cornell University Hospital for Animals in

Ithaca, NY. Minnie was poisoned by aflatoxin-contaminated dog food,

according to veterinarians at Cornell's College of Veterinary

Medicine. Diamond Pet Food of Missouri recalled some 800,000 bags of

the contaminated product, but at least 100 dogs had already been

killed at the time this photo was taken. Minnie died a day later.

"I've never in my life seen anything like this," Dr. Sharon Center, a

Cornell professor of veterinary medicine, told The New York Times.

The circumtances that gave rise to this photograph are horrific, but the measure of how good this image is lies in the fact that you didn't need to know them. The same is true of the other pictures in Bill Wingell's portfolio. He has a gift for showing human feelings so that you don't need to be told the story; you get it. He knows how close to get and never gets closer. He does not substitute images that 'might be' for ones that 'are' -- not every creased and weathered face carries wisdom, not every pretty face has lights inside it. And the older, black and white images are a nice reminder of the historical debt that most of us who photographs people owe to the Leica; in a certain way, it's where all the ladders start.

very nice scene. Good photojournalistic eye

Great photojournalisic photograph, it truly dose tell the (part of) story in the photograph, that these people are hoping that thier beloved dog will pull through...

Do you work at a newspaper?

Keep shootin' and may the Lord Jesus Christ bless you and your family.

-Micah5/6

Bill, I went through the death of one of my dogs the end of last May: sudden diagnosis of stage IV lymphoma. I gave money to Cornell Animal Hospital for research. My friend lost her two cats to poisoning. This photograph brings up some painful memories. The photo you shot is similar to how it was. Thank you for sharing it.