The artists behind Chewy's viral pet portraits are furious over a new contract that cracks down on creative control

Chewy's tradition of pet portraiture is in jeopardy.

The pet-food and -supplies company is known for surprising its customers with personalized paintings of their pets. Accompanied by handwritten notes, they're sent to celebrate milestones, birthdays, and national holidays. Other times, Chewy sends portraits to memorialize a pet who has recently died.

Chewy's portraits are popular on social media. Customers share the 6-by-6-inch canvases in awe and sometimes in tears. Customers can't commission or request the portraits; they are sent seemingly at random at Chewy's discretion. The paintings are based on photos customers upload to the site.

The artists behind the paintings are largely anonymous to both customers and one another.

That was until August 2, when Chewy, perhaps unintentionally, copied 177 of its portrait artists on an email.

It announced its contractor fee would increase from $30 to $35 per canvas. But for this pay raise to take effect, artists needed to sign a new contract that limited creative control and the number of portraits they could paint. It also forbids them from signing their canvases.

Insider reviewed the email from Chewy as well as responses to Chewy from six artists. We also spoke with four Chewy artists who talked on the condition of anonymity, citing fears of retaliation from Chewy and fellow portrait artists. Insider has verified their identities and their employment as independent contractors for the company.

Many of these artists, as well as those who responded to the company's email, said they felt Chewy used them to build its altruistic brand image but didn't support them with the fair pay and recognition they said they deserved.

"It's heartbreaking because they portray themselves as an amazing company," one artist told Insider. "The way they are treating us is like we are just machines of mass production."

In a statement to Insider, Chewy said: "We are grateful for our artistic partners and the work that they do and are proud to have increased artist compensation this year."