Model releases--animals

[Bonnie Block]

Hi there--I have been out of action for a bit--not much time for anything. I designed a desktop calendar and notecard set(local wild birds) that has me working overtime to get them printed and orders filled. This is a good thing!! LOL!
I am designing a second calendar featuring working border collie dogs
The dog images for the most part will be from competition trials where the public was allowed in to watch.
I took pictures at these events as the official photographer, and offered the images on the web for sale.
There will be no people in the images--just dogs and maybe a few sheep, but not all images will be of my dogs.

Question here is--Do I need model releases for these dogs from their owners (who will be thrilled, I am sure, that the dogs are in the calendar)?
Thanks for any advice!

[Fabs Forns]

Bonnie, rather be safe than sorry. If you get the release, you can all be happy :)

[William Malacarne]

Bonnie

I have no idea about your question, but I do have a question for you. If you were the official photog and were hired to do the job you may not even have rights to the pictures. I have heard this argued before and I still don't know the outcome.

Bill

[Bonnie Block]

Bonnie, rather be safe than sorry. If you get the release, you can all be happy :)

Yes, Fabs--you are probably right. I am not sure I even know what dog belongs to a specific person--and sometimes people don't even know their own dog. LOL!

[Bonnie Block]

Bonnie

I have no idea about your question, but I do have a question for you. If you were the official photog and were hired to do the job you may not even have rights to the pictures. I have heard this argued before and I still don't know the outcome.

Bill

Well, Bill--even though I was the official photograper---no one paid me to be that, nor were there any formal contracts drawn up. They expected that I would be selling photos that were taken.
I suppose if I was working for someone else, that would be a whole other kettle of fish!

[David Steele]

In addition to model releases there are also property releases which are often used for things like motor cars. My guess is that you might need a property release for pets . . . and especially prize-winning, pedigreed animals which might have cost their owners lots of money.

[Fabs Forns]

The Photographers Market (they release a new one each year) should have specific info, it's a cheap paperback. I'd think you do need the release.

Congrats on your calendar!

[James Prudente]

Bonnie,

Here is a link to Carolyn Wright's site. She is an attorney with experience in this area and has been very helpful on another forum.

http://www.photoattorney.com/

Cheers,

Jim

[Jim Poor]

Her advice, read on another site, is that, kin the U.S. releases are not needed for pets unless there is a copyright or trademark involved.

[Bonnie Block]

Wow! All interesting, everyone! Food for thought for sure. I think I will try to get at least a very simple release for the images that I use--hopefully I can figure out whose dogs they are! LOL! As I said before--the people can't always pick out the correct picture of their own dogs when looking at several hundred images on a site.