The University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College will host "PAWS," a student photography exhibit, as a tribute to dogs and recognition of their uniqueness in the world.

Photography instructor Brad Doherty came up with the idea of making this year's exhibit about dogs to bring public awareness of the need to protect "man's best friend."

The exhibit will open 6:30 p.m. Monday at the UTB-TSC Rusteberg Building. The exhibit will continue through July 3.

Senior psychology major Daniella Siller was thrilled when she found out about the exhibit's theme. After she received her photo assignment, her boyfriend's golden retriever gave birth. Once Siller learned the puppies were born, she rushed over to take photos.

"I wanted to show a positive, happy side of a dog's life," she said, "and I wanted to show that it is possible to have them all together and have them growing healthy."

Siller laughed as she talked about how the puppies seemed to be posing for her, as she took photos of them basking in the sun.

Like Siller, recent UTB-TSC graduate Marlon Bordez was intrigued with the theme of man's best friend. Some of his photos feature his sister's cocker spaniel, Lola, his neighbor's Weimaraner and dogs at the Brownsville Humane Society.

Bordez said he was looking for dogs that "had something special" and he wanted to capture the essence of dogs just being dogs.

"I think dogs are really interesting subjects, and people can relate to them," Bordez said.

Both Siller's and Bordez's photos were selected to be featured in the upcoming PAWS exhibit.

Doherty's students took a variety of black and white photos and then processed and printed them in the darkroom at the university. The students put a lot of time into their work, he said.

The collection of photos depicts dogs in their homes - others in cages or on the streets.

"It is my hope that each person who sees this exhibit will consider the treatment of their own best friends, as well as the welfare of all other dogs," Doherty said.