Meet Amy Hebert, who is married to an amazing husband of over 43 years and is a lifelong lover of (mostly) all animals.

Amy is passionate about education and is always looking to improve either herself or her dog, Arty. She has a deep faith, which causes her to try to live out that faith by doing what she can to help others thrive. Her little dog Arty is an ambassador of joy and loves the spotlight!

1) What is Canine Bridge and how did it begin?

All of us have experienced circumstances of late where it’s very difficult for people to talk to each other. And it’s caused divisions in families, including our own; it’s caused friends to no longer be friends, and while there’s a lot of “bad stuff” in the world, there’s also a lot of good! Things to connect people are one of the things I think we need right now to balance out all the negativity in the world.

This imbalance led me to search for answers, and I came across the organization called Braver Angels. In short, this group’s goal is to eliminate the toxicity in conversations, especially in the political realm and also in the broader context, in our society in general. Out of that came a nationwide pilot program called Braver Lens, under the umbrella of Braver Angels, in collaboration with Interfaith Photovoice. The end goal was to use photos to tell stories in order to connect with people and impact the community for good.

Long story short, I was able to do one of these projects in North Idaho. During that project, my husband Dave and I were on a joy ride one afternoon, talking about my desire to combine my passion and love for dogs, photography and building bridges. We came up with a question that led me to reaching out to folks I know in the dog community, where we are in Coeur d'Alene, specifically the Coeur d'Alene Dog Fanciers Club, of which I am a member. I wanted to see if we could answer that question through our relationships with our dogs. (By the way, did you know that we have the highest per capita dog ownership in the state of Idaho? According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, 58% of all houses in Idaho have a canine member of the family.) The love of dogs is part of the cultural fabric, so why not tell the story through photos of our animals?

The heart of the exhibit is a series of 24 photos, all taken by amateur photographers using iPhones. These images visually answer the question: “What qualities in your dog would you like to see in people?”

Over five weeks, our group gathered to learn photo composition and sharing techniques, using the images as a springboard for dialogue. The photographs became an artistic way to express who we are and what we observe, fostering deeper connections within our group as we discussed our values. We freely shared thoughts and opinions about the photos we took.

Choosing the final 24 was tough, as we narrowed down over 130 photos we took. We focused on qualities we felt would uniquely serve North Idaho: Friendship and Companionship, Unconditional Love, Acceptance, Joy and Laughter and a Willingness to Learn. It's true what they say — a single picture can speak volumes. Our exhibit tells a powerful story of how dogs enrich our lives, inviting viewers to adopt these positive canine qualities in their own lives, neighborhoods and communities. Why “Canine Bridge?” We want to use our dogs as an opportunity to connect with others in a fun and non-threatening way, as a sort of bridge to connect with other people. Have you ever noticed that when you are walking down the street and you see a dog, almost instantly, we can have a conversation with the owner, and most likely pet the pup? We have instant connection and common ground.

The original goal was for a single, one-and-done public exhibition of Canine Bridge. However, we’ve had opportunities to share this exhibit in many different places! So far, Canine Bridge has been displayed at the Braver Angels national convention in Kenosha, Wis., three times at the local ArtWalk hosted by the Coeur d’Alene Arts and Culture Alliance, featured twice on live television interviews, it's been the subject of three articles in the local paper and a smaller version of the exhibit was on display for the month of October at Mountain West Bank for Pet Appreciation Month.

Canine Bridge will be on display July 11 during ArtWalk downtown.

2) What is Braver Angels and Braver Lens, and how are you involved with them?

Braver Angels exists to bridge the partisan divide and strengthen our democratic republic AND help to overcome the toxic conversations in society. Another key tenant is civic renewal begins with “every voice respected." “Every voice respected” resonates with me. Listening to others is the ultimate respect.

True to Photovoice, Canine Bridge has left tangible marks on the community. Abby Light, the executive director of the Coeur d’Alene Arts and Culture Alliance, is currently exploring banks as a way to expand the influence of culture and art into the community, adding another outlet for such creative expression outside of the monthly art walks.

Another tangible result stems from our collaboration with the local animal shelter, Companions Animal Center. At the last two ArtWalk events, we shared space with CAC, which had adoptable dogs available at the ArtWalk. They ended up adopting out several dogs after everything was said and done. The local dog club (CDADF) was also present at the exhibit to help give guidance on those looking for a dog regarding what breed might work the best for them, offer training classes and answer other relevant questions to potential new dog owners.

Because of the connections made through the exhibit, the shelter has collaborated with the dog club on training the shelter dogs so that when animals are adopted, they will have a better chance of staying in their forever homes and not being returned to the shelter. So far, all of the dogs who have been through that program have stayed in their forever home!

3) How does what is captured in photos of animals transfer to human emotions and what you want to put out into the world?

There are physical, physiological, mental, emotional and psychological benefits in our relationships with animals. Mental health note: Spend time with a canine friend! Studies show that levels of the stress hormone cortisol drop in people after just minutes spent interacting with dogs — even if it's not their own dog! Our heart rate goes down and a smile comes on our face. That’s where it begins. Then, emotionally, it brings joy to us! We see the benefit of therapy dogs in all kinds of situations, whether it beside a hospital bed, or alongside someone who has just experienced a trauma of some sort. There is also an increase in oxytocin, that feel-good kind of bonding hormone.

And it's not just humans that benefit. The dog’s oxytocin also increases. It’s a win-win!

We aren’t having conversations about why we are different; we are having conversations about why we are alike. It clearly demonstrates the power of connection, be it human-to-human or human-to-dog. Could it be that we learn as much, or more, from our dogs as they learn from us?

We can learn a lot from our dogs, how they interact with each other, how they interact with us, that if we were a little more like our dogs, this world truly would be a much better place.

4) What is something people would be surprised to know about you?

I was a trail guide in the Sierra Nevada mountains one summer in college. A dream job where I was paid to ride horses!

5) In your opinion, why is life better with a dog or other animal?

“There is something on the outside of the horse that is good for the inside of a man” is a quote often attributed to Winston Churchill. It could easily transfer to our canine friends.

It keeps us active and causes us to think outside ourselves. Dog ownership also provides a wonderful starting point for a great conversation.

So next time you take your dog for a walk, go ahead and stop to talk to the other person passing by. You might be surprised at how easy it is! You may even make a new friend.