Zoltan Kecskes is a portrait and travel photographer from East Sussex. In early 2019, he and his fiancee, Agnes, took a trip to Cape Verde. Zoltan wasn’t expected to take many photos, so he left his portrait lenses behind.
When they got there, they were surprised to see a large number of stray dogs living on the streets and beaches of Cape Verde. The locals feed and play with the dogs and treat them like a normal part of everyday life.
Instead of his original plans, Zoltan spent most of his vacation taking pictures of these adorable dogs. He only had a wide-angle lens with him, so all of the pictures are very up-close and personal.
Dogs in the sand
The dogs of Cape Verde seem to adore the wide expanse of glittering sand. You can find pawprints all over the beaches. Some dogs roll around in the sand, while others like to take sunny naps. Maybe they’re the ones on vacation.
Dogs in the shade
When the overhead sun gets too hot to bear, Cape Verde’s dogs retreat to whatever shade they can find. Beach umbrellas become popular napping places. You’ll also find dogs sleeping behind stone walls or even underneath wheelbarrows.
Dogs on the pier
The pier is where Cape Verde locals gather for all sorts of beachside activities. Where there are crowds, there are probably a few friendly dogs hoping to join in the fun. Some dogs like to nap on the soft wooden planks; people usually just let them sleep.
Dogs on the street
It’s not uncommon to find a Cape Verde dog sleeping on the side of the street. There isn’t nearly as much traffic, and most pedestrians just walk around them. The cool paving stones probably feel amazing on a hot summer day.
Dogs in the market
Cape Verde’s bustling marketplaces are a great place for dogs to find food and make friends. If you’re a stall owner, your next customer might be a dog who wants to inspect your wares.
Dogs in town
No matter where you go in Cape Verde, there’s probably a cute dog following you around. Some dogs stand guard outside businesses, while others forage for scraps in the alleyways. It’s not uncommon for locals to leave out food or feed stray dogs the end part of their lunch.
Dogs together
Some of these dogs like to travel in groups. Cape Verde isn’t a very dangerous place, but it’s still more fun to have friends. The same dogs will forage, sleep, and play together for weeks or even their entire lives.
Dogs alone
Of course, some dogs are just loners, and there’s nothing wrong with that. If you peek behind a random building, you might find the fuzzy face of a noble soul staring back at you.
A very special dog named Beau
One of the Cape Verde dogs wouldn’t leave Zoltan and his fiance alone. This cute pup waited for them outside of their rental every morning and followed them around town. His name is Beau, and when their trip ended, the Kesckes family decided to adopt him and bring him back to the UK.
