Any Austin dog lover is likely familiar with the too-cute-for-words Instagram account @zilkerbark. Founded by Alex Hopes, the feed features Hopes' aw-inducing, professional photos of Zilker Park's four-legged friends, paired with cheeky captions introducing each dog to the rest of Austin. We chatted with Hopes about his account's popularity, his own pup and why Austin is just so damn obsessed with dogs.
People have fallen in love with your dog portraits in Zilker Park. Are you shocked by how much @zilkerbark has taken off?
What started out as just a new way of earning money—taking pictures of dogs—has really blossomed into something much bigger than I anticipated: giving these dogs an outlet to be the celebrities they are to us owners. The role dogs play in our lives is very personal, and Zilker Bark has given us the opportunity to benefit local animal shelters and nonprofit efforts that help the community of Austin as a whole.
Do any dogs give you trouble during the shoot?
Some dogs, like my Sid, will sit, wait and pose on command, but others don’t have the patience to sit still for half a second, so we capture them in action, playing around in the park. I’ve done about 660 photo sessions in the course of a year and half, so through a lot of practice and patience I’ve really cracked the code on how to get the most out of each dog.
Sid has a pretty special title.
Sid’s role as Dog Mayor of Austin was really just an unofficial position that was meant to raise awareness, but we did get a letter from Mayor Steve Adler recognizing him. Having, say, a yearly citywide donation run with a dog crowned Dog Mayor of Austin could bring real value to shelters across Austin.
What’s in store for your annual Valentine’s Day fund-raising event for Austin Pets Alive?
We’re raising the bar higher for the next installment, on February 11, with a daylong event spread out across the parking lot at Jo’s Coffee with vendors and activities. Through hundreds of dog photo sessions and generous donations, our aim is to reach $50,000 that day.
Why is Austin such a perfect city for dogs?
It’s comfortable to take our dogs out almost year-round; with the exception of the brutal heat in summer, we really have an easy place to raise a dog. I’ve been traveling across the country for five months now, and throughout all that time on the road I haven’t found a more dog-friendly city than Austin or a more amazing park than Zilker.