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Tillie - 8/3/16

Name: Tillie - 1 y/o

How long has Tillie been in the family? 5.5 Months

Family Members: Jennifer, David, Lauren (13), Charles (12), Olive - Golden Doodle (5), Percy - Cat (12), 3 Chickens (3)

Professions: Jennifer - Speech Pathologist, David - Attorny

Location: Atlanta, GA.

Nicknames: Tillbilly, Tillbird, Tillyboo

5 words/phrases that best describe Tillie?

Happy
Eager to please
Goofy
Smart
Loving

What makes Tillie unique? Tillie smiles with her eyes when she greets us.

Tillie taking a little break from ball playing.

Rescue Story: I first saw a video of Tillie on Thanksgiving, 2015 that was posted by her foster Mom at BullsEye Rescue , who happened to be a friend of my sister. I had been interested in a rescue for over a year. but had not come across the right dog and situation. When I saw Tillie in the video, despite having no hair due to mange and being severely malnourished, I could see something so sweet and special about her right away. As I watched the video, I knew in my heart this was the dog I wanted to save. I contacted her foster and setup a meet and greet with Tillie.

I will be honest and say I did my research about pit bulls. My family and friends were shocked that I would consider adopting a dog of this breed. But as I learned the facts, I became more certain that I wanted to give this breed a chance.

When we met Tillie, she was so shy and would hardly come near us, but I could see her potential immediately. We sat on the floor with her and her foster Mom Ellie, for over an hour giving her treats and toys. Eventually she let us touch and pet her, and her gentle playful nature was apparent. I knew more then ever that this had been the situation I'd been searching for. I wanted to help a dog/breed that really needed it. I decided that moment that I wanted to do something that would make a difference. Several weeks later, she came to our house to meet the rest of the family and our dog Olive. She and Olive were instant playmates. It was obvious that Tillie adored other dogs and pets, and although she was a little timid with the kids at first, she would learn they too were playmates. After that visit, we met one more time at the park and moved forward to adopt her.

Once we had Tillie at home with us, she instantly became part of our family. Her playful and loving nature were a little slow to surface, but once we gained her trust , she became more comfortable with us. We don't know her history, but assume it was full of neglect and lack of exposure to many things. Initially, she relied heavily on the reaction of our other dog Olive (and still does sometimes), to see if situations or people are safe, but over the past few months, she appears to be realizing that she doesn't need to be afraid. She now greets are friends and family by licking their toes and wagging her tail. We love watching her see something for the first time! Her reaction is that of fun-loving silliness and curiosity. As she has become more confident, she's willing to go outside by herself and investigate things, get on our bed and snuggle with us, play "zoomies" with our kids, and gives us lots of kisses. One of the things we love about her most, are her smiling eyes when she greets us. Her tender nature and eagerness to please has endeared her to us, and we are so grateful that we found her, and she us. She brings so much joy with her happy attitude; it's almost impossible to resist adoring her once you've had time with her. We can't imagine our life without her. We love Tillie so much and hope that our example will encourage others to see that this breed has been terribly mistreated and misunderstood.

Tillie's Gotcha Day! You can see she made her self right at home...using Olive as a seat cushion!

What is your favorite pastime as a family? We take Tillie in the car with us, play outside in the backyard, snuggling on the bed, rolling around the floor with her, playing tug-of-war with toys and playing chase with her.

What is life like since you rescued Tillie? Our life is full of joy and happiness that we not only have a wonderful addition to our family, but that we are helping with a cause that needs us.

Photographers Note: There are two big reasons I love this story so much. First, they chose a dog that was not immediately beautiful or exuberant and affectionate. They chose one that needed to understand what it means to be loved and what it means to trust. They were willing to take the time to do that with Tillie. For the record, I didn't see much of the shy dog she use to be when I met her and she is absolutely beautiful with those gorgeous smiling eyes. The second reason, is because this family was so dedicated to learning everything they could about Tillie before bringing her home. Whether we like it or not, the stigma around these dogs exist and if you only look to one source for your information, that information may not be correct. This family did their homework and Tillie is in a home now that knows what it means to own and love her! Those who love these dogs long for a day when research is not needed, when all people will walk into their local rescues/shelters and choose a dog based on their personality, their energy, their sweet face....their individuality.

Now I would bet those friends and family members that had some misgivings about this family bringing Tillie home, have now met and fallen in love with this sweet girl. Just like that, perceptions start to change. It only takes one!!

Brennan & Walter - 7/17/16

Names: Brennan (3-ish y/o) & Walter (1.5-ish y/o)

Family Members: Jessica & Jones

How long have Brennan & Walter been in the family? Brennan for 6 months and Walter for a year.

Professions: HR Consultant (Jessica) & Plastics Technician (Jones)

Location: Marietta, GA

Nicknames: Brennan: Bren-Bren

Walter just goes by Walter

5 of the best words/phrases that describe Brennan & Walter:

Brennan:

Cuddle bug - As soon as you sit, Brennan's right there ready to cuddle.
Chill - This pup lives to sprawl out and relax.
Fun-Loving - He loves chilling on the couch but also can't resist an invitation to play with his brother.
Soulful Eyes - We are pretty sure if he could talk, he'd sound like Muddy Waters.
Couch Hog - Brennan feels no guilt taking up an entire 3 person couch for himself

Walter:

Super friendly - He's determined to become best friends with anything with a heartbeat. He makes friends where ever he goes.
Playful - This pup lives to play. He loves sharing his toys and playing tug of war. He can even get the most ornery dog to play with him.
Affectionate - He will smother you in kisses.
Protective - He's such a scaredy-cat, but tries to act tough. He is really good at growling at all those big mean motorcycles that drive by.
Curious - We can't do anything or go anywhere without Walter tagging along to investigate.

What makes Brennan & Walter unique? Brennan tends to think he is a cat. His former foster and I agree he had to have been a cat in a previous life because when you are sitting, he will walk all over you just like a cat - but not nearly as graceful since he is 70lbs.

Walter is incredibly affectionate and actually loves to be held like a baby. He knows the command "baby time" and frantically jumps onto the couch to assume the position. When you hold him like a baby, he completely melts in your arms and just stares dreamily into your eyes.

Brennan loves his ball that is bigger then him!

Rescue Story: Walter: We had just bought a house and were debating getting a dog. I'm embarrassed to admit we were considering buying a dog from a breeder because it seemed like the shelters had nothing but pit bulls (and everyone knows that pit bulls are vicious monsters unsuitable to be family pets). I found out about a dog, a beautiful weimeraner/lab mix, with the Homeless Pets Foundation who needed a home. He had the most heartbreaking story; his family moved away and left all the pets locked in the house. He was the only one to survive. We went straight to their adoption event to get him , but when we arrived, we found out he had been adopted just 30 minutes earlier! Determined to still get a dog, we looked around for another choice. The dogs were all going crazy, but a quiet, sweet looking brindle caught our attention. He had just arrived and didn't have any signs or information. No one knew anything about him just that he was an owner surrender. It all happened so fast. Papers were signed and we had him home before I knew he was a pit bull! He's so small, lithe and sweet that I couldn't believe he could be the same breed as the aggressive, muscular brutes that are demonized on the news. For the first few weeks I was walking on eggshells, convinced he was going to pounce and maul my face at any moment. Looking back, my fear was so irrational that it's laughable! I've never met a dog who's more loving or affectionate then Walter.

Brennan: One of my neighbors - Kera, is a champion for homeless and mistreated pets (she and her friend recently started their own non-profit , The Bear Project) and I met her when she rescued a stray dog in our neighborhood. Shortly after, she told us about Brennan. They had rescued Brennan from a bad situation in Lawrenceville and after Two Tailz Rescue had treated him and found him a temporary foster, he was in need of a new foster. Kera told us about him and the rest is history!

First day with my new family and my new brother!

What is your favorite pastime as a family? We love our nightly walks with our pups. It's a great way for us to decompress after the work day and easy exercise. Our dogs absolutely lose their minds as soon as we reach for the leashes. They love strutting all around the neighborhood.

What is life like since you rescued Brennan & Walter? We use to dread when vacations came to an end, but now it's less sad because we love coming home to their smiling faces, tails wagging 90 mph and excited butt wiggles. Our family is more complete with them and and they make our home feel so much happier. Despite all the extra work (especially cleaning), we can't imagine our lives without them! They have completely changed our perspective on pit bulls and rescue dogs.

Photographers Note: One of the best parts of doing this project is when you hear about people who have changed their perceptions about these wonderful dogs by bringing one into their home. I so appreciate Jessica's honest commentary about what her previous mind set was in relation to pit bulls, mostly due to what the media has put out for the public to digest. Then realizing how it was laughable after spending time with sweet Walter. Frankly, I think there was a little destiny at play here. The other dog being adopted just before they got there and Walter just arriving in time...it was Walter's job to bring these wonderful people into the pit bull fold!

I had such a great time with these two sweet boys. Walking in the door I was greeted with a lot of excitement, tail wags and butt wiggles. Then as we went to the back yard, Walter was a little shy with the camera. Not with me, just when I would lift the camera to take a photo. Brennan turned out to be quite the show off; which Jessica and Jones thought it would have been the opposite. Watching Brennan run around the back yard with that enormous ball, bumping it with his head...was just a riot. Because I know people will want one of those for their dogs....it's a horse ball and Jessica found it on Amazon!

One other side note, the friend that Jessica mentions who brought Brennan into their lives is the same Kera who owns Queen and was featured on Shine A Light back in April. Kera has done a wonderful job of recruiting volunteers for this project, Jessica and Jones included. I so appreciate her support and her help spreading the word, because the more people we can touch with these wonderful stories, then hopefully the more minds we can change!

Clover - 7/10/16

Name: Clover - 5 y/o

How long has Clover been in the family? We officially adopted Clover on July 6th, 2013, so 3 years.

Family Members: Jennifer & Neil (we're engaged!!!)

Professions: Jennifer works in Marketing for the Arthritis Foundation national headquarters and Neil works in telecommunications as a Relationship Manager.

Location: Atlanta - Reynoldstown neighborhood

Nicknames: Clovey, Clo, C-Lover, Baby Clover ( I could go on....)

5 words/phrases that best describe Clover?

Gentle
Opinionated
Cuddle Monster
Hungry! She's SO hungry all the time!
Quiet as a mouse - she didn't bark for weeks after we adopted her.

What makes Clover unique? She is very caring. If one of us is sad or angry she will come up to us and try to distract or comfort us. She has great intuition.

She is also a food vacuum cleaner!

Rescue Story: The day we met Clover for the first time is one of the best days of my life. I (Jennifer) never had a dog growing up but always wanted one. Neil and I had been dating for 5 months when we were at the Edgewood Shopping Center one weekend and came across Lifeline Animal Project's dogs outside of Petco. I wanted to look at the dogs, so we did; and that's when we saw Clover. Neil went over to her and thought she was precious. Clover's foster mom Donna was at the event and came over to tell us all about Clover. Clover was in bad shape when she came to Lifeline. She had no hair and had just had puppies, but none of the puppies were in sight when she was rescued. They suspect she was used for breeding and had multiple litters even though she was only 1.5 years old. Donna asked if we wanted to walk her; we said yes and she opened up Clover's crate. Clover walked out of the crate and laid on her back for a belly rub! That pretty much sums up Clover - she would much rather get belly rubs then walks. Clover's foster mom kept in contact with us and we watched Clover over a weekend while her foster family was out of town. It was a lot of work, but it was worth it and fun. I was ready to be a dog mom. Neil and I decided to adopt Clover and the rest is history.

From Clover's first "walk" with Jennifer & Neil

What is your favorite pastime as a family? We love going hiking. Last year our New Year's resolution was to visit every state park in GA. (turns out there are a lot of state parks!). Clover's favorite park is Red Top Mountain. We also love going to breweries as a family. Clover's been to every brewery in Atlanta that allows dogs.

What is life like since you rescued Clover? For us, life is incredible. Clover brings such joy into our lives its unbelievable. We were happy before too, but Clover brings it to another level. I may have been living under a rock, but before we adopted Clover I had no idea the stigma that pit bull-type dogs have. I didn't know anything about pit bulls - I didn't even know Clover was considered a pit bull! I just saw a dog that needed a home. So my life, my perceptions, my beliefs - a lot of it changed. I quickly learned that being pit bull parents isn't easy but Clover is worth it. She means so much to us.

I think for Clover, she's really grateful to have loving human parents and an extended family around all the time. She's so appreciative of new toys and treats. She's a happy dog!

Photographers Note: Early on a Sunday morning I met Jennifer, Neil and sweet Clover over at Krog Street Market. It was really before anything was open so it was pretty quiet, just a few folks around getting coffee and pastries. That area is such a fun place to take photos, a lot of great back drops to choose from. I really loved that we did their family shot in front of one of my favorite murals in Atlanta. I do have to say that Clover gets the award for fastest photo shoot so far. I think we were done in 25 minutes. If food was present she would hold a pose for a long as we needed! I think the bowtie shot took literally 5 minutes due to her posing being just spot on! It was great to do a shoot at this location as this is one of their morning weekend spots that they frequent, so Clover definitely knew the drill. After we were done and just chatting more about Clover and I was giving her some more love, they were talking about her foster family. It only took a minute before I realized that Clover's fosters were Jes and Donna, who volunteered for Shine A Light with their dogs Oscar and Sula. Their photo shoot was almost exactly a year before Clovers. I love it when we have stories that cross on this project.

I did want to comment on Jennifer's remark related to not knowing about pit bulls and just seeing a dog that needed a home. That statement about a dog just needing a home, is one that I hope this project continues to prove and support. All dogs are individuals and if you find one that captures your heart and that needs a loving home; it shouldn't matter if they have a blocky head, or a stocky build, or a wide mouth. It shouldn't matter if they are labeled as a pit bull or any other bully breed. What matters is that these dogs are living creatures that deserve to be loved and cared for, they deserve a place where they can play, cuddle and smooch on their owners. What matters is a home. Thank you Jennifer and Neil for just seeing a sweet pup that needed a home!

Nala - 6/12/16

Name: Nala - 2 y/o

How long has Nala been in the family? 1 year this past May

Family Members: Clayton & Shauna

Professions: Shauna is a hairstylist and owner of Bettie Monroe Salon. Clayton is an Account Coordinator for Nixon Energy Solutions.

Location: Winder, GA

Nicknames: Nala Bear, Chickens Nala (don't ask there is no rationale)

5 words/phrases that best describe Nala?

Brilliant
Bed Hog
Snuggle Monster
Crybaby
Sunbathing Beauty Queen

What makes Nala unique? There has only been one time she has ever been destructive to anything that wasn't a toy of hers. Clayton, while on a call for work one weekend, decided that it would be a good idea to go to a car show in Helen, GA. late one Saturday evening with some friends from out of town. Unfortunately, being on a call left him with a work issue to take care of before he could hit the road. His friends stood outside for about an hour while Nala whined at the back door for the guests' attention while Mom & Dad were upstairs. The people outside ignored her whimpers so she decided to chew on the blinds at the door. She has free reign of the house and we never find anything out of place other then her toys, besides that one time!

Rescue Story: From what we were told by her foster; when Nala was rescued in Norcross after following some joggers, she was found with a wound on the top of her head and extremely emaciated. Both of which have since been attributed to abuse. Paws & Stars Rescue were contacted by the Humane Society and gave Nala a second lease on life. She spent a month at the vet hooked to IV's and then transferred to her foster where she continued to gain strength and size. 4 months later she was finally ready to find her forever home. After rejecting at least one couple before us she accepted us as Mom & Dad instantaneously. I think she new we were going to spoil her.

What is your favorite pastime as a family? Clayton is a huge soccer fan and plays in an adult soccer league locally. Luckily, Nala also loves soccer. The two play keep-away in the backyard until one of them is too tired to continue.

What is life like since you rescued Nala? Aside from encouraging a more active lifestyle, the two of us aren't sure if we ever want kids, (Nala is smarter and listens better then any baby) she offers fulfillment and a love unlike any other.

For her, we'd like to think as much as we spoil her with food, play time, snuggles, BarkBoxes, truck rides and the such, life is much better when you are not living on the streets.

Photographers Note: As I mentioned on the two other posts that took place that weekend, it was a hot one; for people and dogs. Upon arriving at Shauna, Clayton, and Nala's home I was greeted exuberantly at the door by Nala. In fact, she was so excited to have a guest that we had to have a short sit down while she calmed down a bit. This involved a frozen Coke can with a treat inside. (not a real can, a dog toy which I believe was one of Bark Box deliveries) Then the fun began, Nala did not let the heat bother her. She showed off her soccer skills with her Dad and I was able to get some great shots of her playing. Now when it came to the actual posing for pictures; it was so hot, so she was panting and maybe this was the cause of her eyes being closed in almost all of her photos - like 90%. (above as an example) When I edit these photos, it's usually the humans I need to look for closed eyes, but this time it was all Nala. Personally I think she was just smiling so hard that her eyes closed...I mean she couldn't help it. Even with her eyes closed, it's an expression of pure joy, love and happiness; and totally adorable.

When I was getting ready to leave, she actually stood in front of the door to block my exit. Which just made me so happy, she didn't want her new buddy to leave!

Hambone - 6/11/16

Name: Hambone - about 8/9 y/o

How long has been Hambone been in the family? 6 years

Family Members: Kelvin & Lisa, human sister Reagan (almost 4 y/o), Tofu - cat (1 y/o)

Professions: Kelvin - Sr. Project Manager - ADIT, Lisa - CAD Operator for Ashton Woods Homes

Location: Marietta, GA

Nicknames: Hammy, Hamberoni

5 words/phrases that best describe Hambone?

Princess
Patient
Loyal
Lazy
Loving

What makes Hambone unique? He may look tough but he is the most delicate princess in our house.

Rescue Story: Hambone was found by some kids practicing football at Decatur High School. He ran on to the field and hung out with them until practice was over. The kids took him across the street to Village Vets of Decatur and from there he was placed into Animal Action Rescue. We met Hambone at an adoption day, where he won Kelvin over by sitting on his lap the moment Kelvin sat down.

What is your favorite pastime as a family? Hambone likes to sit in the front ride soaking up the sun and watching Reagan ride her bike.

What is life like since rescued Hambone? We absolutely love Hambone and couldn't have asked for a better dog to be a part of our family.

Photographers Note: The first thing I noticed about Hambone is what a striking dog he is, especially in the sunshine. He has the most gorgeous amber eyes and his fur has hints of red and dare I say aubergine. He really is a gorgeous boy. As Lisa mentioned, if you saw him from a distance you might think he was tough but he was just as sweet as can be. He came over to greet me when I entered their house while the family was finishing getting ready and just hung out with me while I scratched his head. One of the reasons I chose the 2nd photo of him with his head down in what I call the typical Pit Bull "Seal pose" versus some of the others where his tongue was hanging out, was because of his expression. With the gray muzzle and a few gray hairs popping up around his face, you could just see a content dog that is growing old with a family he loves. That serene expression just said it all.

Beaumont - 6/11/16

Name: Beaumont - 7.5 y/o

How long as Beaumont been in the family? 7 years

Family Members: Nick & Kathryn, human brother - Hudson (14 mths), Pup Brother - Buford (11 y/o)

Professions: Nick is a Sr. Project Manager with Striker Contracting. Kathryn is a Sr. Marketing Project Manager for LOMA.

Location: Marietta, GA.

Nickname: Beau

5 words/phrases that best describe Beaumont:

Loving
Friendly
Playful
Energetic
Happy

What makes Beaumont unique? Beaumont is the most friendly little pup you've ever met! He loves meeting new people , and is incredibly trusting , which speaks volumes given the environment that he was rescued from.

Rescue Story: Nick and I were working at a BBQ Festival in June 2009. At the time, Nick was working catering events for Atlanta's premier BBQ restaurant and they asked if I would like to help out. He and I had talked about adopting a second pup to keep our Black Lab, Buford company. A local rescue group, Lifeline Animal Project was hosting a puppy adoption fair at the festival. I knew Beaumont (then Liam) had to join our family the minute I saw him. He was so cute and friendly but he was so tiny and you could count his ribs. Lifeline had rescued him , along with at least 30 other dogs, from a puppy mill that was being run in conjunction with a suspected dog fighting ring in Dublin, GA. It was the largest animal cruelty bust in GA history at that point.

I will admit that I had some reservations about adopting Beaumont when I learned this; after all, the only things I'd ever heard about pit bulls were that they were "bad dogs". But one look at Beaumont changed all that.....especially when I realized that because he was so sweet and trusting that he probably would have ended up as a bait dog; that completely broke my heart. Beaumont joined our family and he has been a wonderful fun-loving addition ever since!

What is your favorite pastime as a family? We love to go on family walks through our neighborhood and play. Even though Beaumont is 50 pounds, he thinks he is a lap dog and he loves to snuggle with me when we watch TV! The best thing has been watching him interact with our toddler, Hudson. Beaumont loves to follow him around and constantly try to lick him in the face!

What is life like since you rescued Beaumont? I honestly can't imagine our life without Beaumont. Having 2 pups and a baby can be a handful, but it's such a blessing. To anyone out there who is on the fence about adopting a pit bull, I'd love to encourage you to give them a chance. They are so loving, loyal, and just want to be with their family.

Photographers Note: When I arrived at Kathryn and Nick's home on a Saturday morning it was already very warm and humid out but this did not dampen the enthusiasm of the two southern gentlemen in residence, Beaumont & Buford. They ran about and played in their huge backyard. I will say getting the two of them together in one photo while off leash was a challenge due to the perpetual motion of Beaumont, who was always on the move.

This story is a great one because Kathryn voices what a lot of people who may not have experience with these dogs initially think about pit bulls, not to mention ones that are coming from the situation Beaumont came from. They are bad dogs or have been trained to be mean or aggressive. Thankfully Kathryn and Nick didn't allow all the "noise" that they heard from the media and other places to sway their ultimate decision to rescue this sweet boy. They looked at Beaumont as an individual and fell in love with him, the dog! Thank you both for listening to your heart! Such a great family and seeing Beaumont with his little human brother, you can easily see why these dogs were known as Nanny dogs!

Penny - 5/22/16

Name: Penny - 11 months in May

Family Members: Emily and Colin (boyfriend)

How long has Penny been in the family? Since Dec. 2015

Profession: Emily is a full time graduate student, a part-time nanny and an Air Evac medic in the AIr Force Reserves. Colin is a part-time student and a finance manager at AutoNation Toyota.

Location: Austell, GA.

Nicknames: wiggle-butt, wiggles, bean, stinky

5 words/phrases that best describe Penny:

Bull in a china shop
Goofy
Sweet
Loving
Couch Potato

What makes Penny unique? I'm biased, but she is the smartest, sweetest girl I have met. She is easily trained (when her mile-wide stubborn streak doesn't get in the way). She is on her way to becoming a certified therapy dog!

Rescue Story: I rescued Penny from a wonderful Pit Bull Rescue organization , Friends to the Forlorn. Penny was lucky enough to be born into their foster group; her Mom (still looking for her forever home!) was rescued from the animal shelter after her owner was imprisoned on murder charges. After she was sprung from the shelter, mommy was given great care and gave birth to her litter, Penny included! Penny was one of the last of her siblings to get adopted. She picked me right away. Her sweet personality and loving eyes were the perfect fit for my lifestyle and dreams of training and handling a therapy dog!

What is your favorite pastime as a family? Some of our favorite things to do are snuggling on the couch watching TV (with the volume turned up to drown out her snoring!) and taking hikes in the Kennesaw Mountain National Park.

What is life like since you rescued Penny? Life has been a wonderful mixture of crazy, stressful, beautiful, messy, love and learning. Penny is the first dog I have owned, so it has been a learning curve. She has been just one wiggly bundle of love I can't imagine not having, She has been spoiled rotten and worked hard (I think she likes the spoiled parts better).

Photographers Note: First off this pup is just beautiful, I mean look at her markings and that adorable little turned up nose. During the Bowtie shot, she was a pro...I had many many photos of her that were exactly the same, just holding the pose like a champ...I was shocked this sweet and well behaved girl was not yet a year old. Then I got to see some of the puppy...every dog that came into the Square she wanted to play with, there were some army crawls and various positions she threw out in the hopes to gain some interest from the passerby's, but no luck! This was when the "goofy" really came out. She has such a sweet face and demeanor; she was truly a pleasure to photograph. Plus as a bonus her cousin and pal Sayde got to join in on the family shot. I can't wait to here more about Penny's progress in her pursuit to be a therapy dog. I know she will be a fantastic help to many and bring many many smiles!

NouNou - 5/7/16

Name: NouNou - 2.5 y/o

Family Members: Elicha and Wale (Pet Parents), Misty Mouse - dog sister

How long has NouNou been in the family? 2 years

Profession: Pharmacy Specialist (Elicha)

Location: Smyrna

Nicknames: Wiggle Butt, Chunky Monkey

5 words/phrases that best describe NouNou:

Intelligent
Relaxed
Independent
Sneaky
Hilarious

What makes NouNou unique? She taught herself to communicate with us. If we are at the dog park, she'll let us know when she is ready to go. I can also tell when she is not in the mood for a long walk because she'll look me dead in the eyes once we walk out of our apartment gate and yawn loudly.

Rescue Story: My boyfriend was outside working on his car and I went outside to talk to him. My neighbor had this black and white puppy that ran right up to me when they opened their door. I asked if she belonged to them, and they said no that they found her. They said they were going to try and find her owners. I played with her for a couple hours and she even came into my apartment. I tried to call her to come back outside so that I could take her back to my neighbor, she refused and I had to carry her. When I gave her back, I told them that if they cannot find the owner, I will take her. A few hours later, they came to the door and said they could not find the owner and asked if I would take her.

I've never lived with pets , so shortly after taking her I realized I was experiencing allergy symptoms. With the help of a friend , I was able to find a couple that was willing to take her into their home. Although they knew that I would want her back if I wasn't allergic; they were understanding and took her in. Thankfully she was not the major cause for my allergies , and she has been with us ever since!

At some point, I did run into her former owner while walking her. She said that she got rid of NouNou because she was not housebroken and that NouNou's brother somehow got away. NouNou was about 4-5 months when I got her and she was housebroken within a couple weeks.

What is your favorite pastime as a family? We LOVE taking NouNou to the dog park to play fetch. She loves nothing more then chasing tennis balls.

What is life like since you rescued NouNou? Life for her I am sure has been great. She is extremely spoiled and has been on many adventures with us. We started hiking and she's been on a road trip to Boston. For me it's been a blessing, she has shown me how to have patience and unconditional love. A year ago we adopted another puppy and seeing the bond between them grow has been amazing. I feel so luck to be the one that she chose.

Photographers Note: NouNou came out to meet me and she is just too cute. She has this stocky pitty shaped body and this little head. Her markings are just beautiful and the deepest darkest eyes that are really hard to capture in a photograph. During the bow tie photo, you really got the sense she knew she was "dressed up" and posing for something big. She is also quite the lucky pup, as she lives in a huge complex with great grounds and it's own dog park (with the cool blue hydrant). At the time we were the only ones in there and had the run of the place to capture some shots of this sweet girl!

Joey - 4/26/16

Name: Joey - 3-ish y/o

Family Member: Elliott

How long has Joey been in your family? 11 months as of May 5th

Profession: Graduate Student

Location: Downtown Atlanta

Nicknames: Josephs, Jojo, Goobtubes (his shelter name was Goober)

5 words/phrases that best describe Joey:

Doofus dog
energetic
sweet
invader of space
snout punch

What makes Joey unique? There are two types of objects in the world, Joey and things that will move if rammed hard enough with his snout.

Rescue Story: Joey was originally in Fulton County Animal Control as Timothy and was moved to Atlanta Pet Rescue and Adoption (APRA) on February 4th, 2014. During Snowpocolypse of 2014, APRA had trouble getting people to their shelter to take care of the dogs. For the second storm, February 11th & 12th, they tried to temporarily foster out as many dogs as possible. My girlfriend, Kelsey, volunteers at APRA every week and decided to take Joey; a 30lb puppy then known as Goober, home. He was all legs and tail, and super excited to be in a home. I fell in love with him those few days but wasn't ready for a dog. He was adopted by another family. They had recently had a child and unfortunately Joey began to fight with their other dog. They returned Joey to APRA on March 8th, 2015. Due to his history, he was in an isolated cage and not too many people were interested in him. Kelsey and I would take him on weekly trips to Home Depot and other places; he began to grow on me again. On June 5th, 2015 I decided to try foster-to-adopt with Joey.

Those 10 days were among the most stressful days I have ever experienced. Joey was very nervous and I wasn't always sure what to do to help him. He barely ate the first few days and would freeze on walks, refusing to move. There were a few days he decided his paw hurt and would walk around as a 3-legged dog for a few minutes at a time. Further complicating things was his interesting relationship with Kelsey's dog, Lola. Joey doesn't always recognize his own size and tends to take the "HI BE MY BEST FRIEND" approach to meeting new dogs and people. This unbound enthusiasm would sometimes freak Lola out. However, he began to settle down and his relationship with Lola has vastly improved in no small part to the training classes we have taken. With a lot of time and training, Joey is starting to learn how to become a well mannered dog in a variety of situations. He is master level at sit, down, touch and stay (I can even go out of sight and he won't break his stay!). We're working to learn more complicated behaviors, like heel and loose leash walking, into more distracting situations.

What is your favorite pastime as a family? It would either be going for runs together or playing our weird version of fetch chase. He loves going for runs and we can usually do a mile or two, the first half he drags me and the second half I coax him through. For a while he didn't play with toys but has recently developed a liking. We play fetch but sometimes he doesn't bring it back so it becomes chase, and then sometimes I make him chase me.

What is life like since you rescued Joey? Life has been very different. He is my first dog so everything is new and exciting. Before Joey, I always liked dogs but was not a dog lover. With little Josephs it is tough to imagine it any other way. I have also learned a lot about dogs. How they think and react, as well as use the economics of treats to help him behave. Sometimes it has been a struggle as Joey is still not great at meeting new dogs right off the bat, but we have worked hard. I know now how to communicate what I want from him and he knows what I want him to do. There have been a few times he has driven me up the wall but he is mine now and I wouldn't trade him for the world.

Photographers Note: For this photo shoot, I met Elliott and Joey over at the Georgia Tech campus, which is really a lovely setting for a photo shoot as it turns out. Upon meeting this dog, you don't see a single remnant of the nervous pup that he was when Elliott first brought him home. He is just pure exuberance and joy, you cant help smiling when you are around him. He is just a big beautiful goof ball! Those eyes....they sparkle with mischief, I kid you not! I was also really impressed with how well he listens to his Dad, after we got the greeting out of the way (which was in all caps, just as Elliott described, but I didn't mind ;), he listened to every command and was a great photo subject. Another great example of a dog owner, doing everything it takes to make his pup a well mannered member of pit bull society!

Queen - 4/23/16

Name: Queen - 4-ish y/o

Family Members: Kera & Bill (parents), Emma - 22 y/o (human sister), Baxter (dog brother), Lucy (dog sister) & Gracie (cat sister)

How long has Queen been in the family? 1 year

Professions: Account Executive for a Promotional Products Distributor - Kera, Distribution Manager for same company - Bill (we met at work :) )

Location: Marietta, GA

Nicknames: Queenie, Queener - I really really really dislike her name. She came with it and I tried to change it to Quinn, thought that was a more hip name. I failed the very first day trying to call her something different, so Queen she is!

5 words/phrases that best describe Queen:

Resource Guarder - takes every single dog toy we own and either puts them all in her bed and won't share, or takes each one out the doggie door in to the yard. One by one, until the toy box is empty and the grass is littered with dog toys.
Affectionate - LOVES to love people, all people
Afraid - very timid, she is not use to normal inside of the home things - like ceiling fans.
Appreciative - she is totally aware that her life has completely changed, for the better.
On guard - she is always listening and watching everything that is going on all around her, all the time.

What makes Queen unique? Queen does not like food - she is not interested in eating - our food routine is the same each morning and evening. I have to mix kibble with moist food, add some coconut oil, and then normally the liquid from our cat's moist food - so it is super stinky. It all gets mixed together and then I put the same exact bowl on the floor in the same exact spot - I use a spoon and flick half of the food out of the bowl on to the floor, so the bowl is half empty and the floor is covered in food. Then I sit down on the floor right next to the bowl and start hand feeding her small bites of the stinky mess. After a few bites, she will normally start to eat on her own. She will walk away after a few bites most times, other times she will finish it all, if we are lucky. This process can take anywhere from 10-15 minutes up to 30 minutes - just depends on her mood. Many meals, she only eats a little and refuses more. She was completely hand fed for the first 3 months we had her, she was afraid of the bowl and would not eat from the floor. We have come miles but still have many more to go.

Rescue story: I first noticed Queen when I was driving around a neighborhood close to home looking for anyone who had lost a beautiful blue female Pit Bull I had seen running on North Marietta Parkway. As I was driving around, slowly stopping and asking those walking down the streets nearby if they knew where the dog belonged. I came across a yard that had an old beat up dog pen sitting on the side of the property very close to the road. Inside was a female white and brown Pit Bull - very skinny, super friendly and hungry as could be. I pulled over, and as I was talking to the dog through the pen, the owner came out of his house to see what I was doing. I explained I was trying to find the owner of the blue Pit Bull; he and I started discussing his dog inside the pen. He allowed me to go inside the pen and give treats to his dog Queen. She was so sweet and so hungry. I noticed that she had pups recently, she was dirty and smelly, her nails needed to be trimmed and didn't seem to be in the best of health. I took a chance and asked him if she had ever seen a vet, been spayed or had any shots - he said no. I then asked him if he would allow me to take her to the vet, get her spayed and current on her shots. He agreed. I also asked if I could help him with dog food for her, he declined saying she was fine and he could afford her dog food.

My rescue partner got her an appointment to be spayed and a few weeks later we picked her up. Took her for a much needed bath and brought her to my house to prepare for her spay. She had never been indoors it seemed, every new sound spooked her. She seemed very happy to be indoors in a warm house with a comfy dog bed and toys to play with. She got spayed and we found out she was heartworm positive. I talked to her owner about her staying at my house while she recovered from her surgery so she wouldn't be out in the cold while her stiches were healing. I also broke the news to him about the HW. During the week that Queen was staying at my house I fell in total love with her! She was so sweet and appreciative of everything she had while she was here. I told her owner I wanted to treat her HW's and he said no, it was too expensive. I told him I would cover the costs and after several discussions he finally agreed. This bought me several months - she could stay at my house and recover from her long road of heartworm treatments. My love for Queen increasingly grew over this time and I could not imagine having to send her back to her awful living conditions. My husband also fell completely in love with her - we both knew we had to convince her owner to sign her over to us. Once it was time for her to go back, we contacted her owner and tried to explain to him that we couldn't imagine our home without her and that we wanted to keep her. He refused, he got extremely angry and he demanded we bring her home. We did everything, we begged him but he did not budge. My rescue partner's husband offered to go and talk to the owner to try and help change his mind. I was too close to the situation and could not make a good case for myself. He met with her owner and to our surprise, he was able to get him to sign Queen over to us - forever. My husband and I were so thrilled. We thought we were going to have to give her up and had no idea how we were going to deal with that loss. That day Queen became a forever member of our pack - The Bagwell BowWow's!

Queen's previous home and her first bath!

What is your favorite pastime as a family? My favorite time is bed time. She falls asleep on the couch and when she knows it is time for us to head to bed, she immediately goes and stands at the baby gate in the kitchen. Just waiting to go back to the bedroom to climb up on the bed. She sleeps near the foot of the bed and takes up way more room then she needs. She will not budge, she becomes dead weight and she snores like crazy! I love cuddling with her and I love how she comes over and gently wakes me up in the morning when she feels like I am stirring enough to be awake.

What is life like since you rescued Queen? Life is different since we brought Queen home. We had 3 other dogs in our home before she arrived and we had our routine. All of our dogs got along with one another perfectly fine and there was no need for any crating or separating or anything like that. Once Queen arrived, we had to keep her in a crate for the first few weeks before we could introduce her to our two larger dogs, Baxter and Lucy (Basset Hound mixes). Our small dog Anya, who is only 4 lbs was another story. Queen had never been around tiny dogs (from what her owner told me) and she seemed to be a little too interested in Anya. So I had my Mom take Anya to her house down the street from me. I was worried about Queen and Anya; I didn't want to risk her being injured since she is so small. It has been a year and Anya still lives with my Mom. I am not sure Queen will ever be ok with small dogs and that is ok. I miss Anya terribly but get to see her all the time since they live so close.

We have had to make many adjustments at our house to accommodate Queen, but every one is worth it. We made areas to keep her when we are not home to keep her separated from Baxter and Lucy, just to be careful. She and Lucy are awesome together, but she and Baxter can get hairy at times. It took Baxter almost 6 months to get over being jealous of Queen and although he still seems bothered at times he has really come around. They have gotten rough with one another a few times but Baxter has learned to back off and back down.

Traveling is a little harder for us now, Queen doesn't go to our pet sitters like the other dogs since she hasn't been 100% socialized yet. We have had to hire someone to come and stay at the house with her and I worry like crazy while I am gone. I added wireless cameras to our house so I can see her and what she is doing while I am away from the house. I do work from home, so I am here with the dogs most of the day, which is awesome. We are certainly lucky and so happy to have her here as part of our family. She has brought so much joy and has taught us so much about pit bulls and what we had been missing. She is our first but definitely not our last.

Photographers Note: This family was so much fun to meet and photograph. All the dogs were so adorable and sweet. What I loved the most was when I was sitting on the ground and taking a little break in the photo action; Queen came over to me, sat next to me, leaning against me . As if to say, "yeah, a break is a good idea...I will hang her with you" .

Kera had shared with me during our communications before the shoot that she had recently started a dog rescue called The Bear Project (check out their page on Facebook). Then as I was leaving she was sharing with me all the neighbors in her area that have pit bulls, many of which she placed. (hopefully they will all volunteer here too) I knew this women was a kindred spirit due to her passion for helping animals in her community. It takes a special person....Queen's rescue story is one of my favorites and it just goes to show what we will do to love and support these wonderful dogs.

Regarding Queen's name, as Bill stated during the photo shoot, "it fits her". I would have to agree, this sweet baby went from a life of squalor, to one fit for a queen and her family is true royalty.

Gidget - 4/16/16

Name: Gidget - 4.75-ish y/o

Family Members: April (Mom), Thomas - 15 y/o, Oscar (Cairn Terrier - 8 y/o)

How long has Gidget been in the family? 4 years, 5 months

Profession: Account Manager for a promotional products provider to Fortune 500 clients

Location: Sandy Springs, GA

Nicknames: Gidgie-puddin', Gidgiepotamus, Gidgie

5 words/phrases that best describe Gidget:

Clownish
Cuddly
eager to please
routine driven
kitty-cat (because she loves to rub her body against things like a cat)

What makes Gidget unique? Gidget is very talkative. She tells me if I am not doing the thing she thinks I should be doing at any given time with a long, growly/howly speech about why I should be petting/cuddling/feeding/walking her. It is almost impossible to resist. Her relationship with Oscar is something special too. She is dog selective, and pretty alpha - except, it seems with small male dogs. So I sought out one of those for her when she and I became empty nesters and she seemed lonely. She and Oscar fell in love at first sight, even though I took several days to let them meet without a gate between them because of the size difference. (she is 72lbs and he is 22lbs!). She had to learn to play more gently with him then her previous playmate, who was more her size. Oscar really rules the roost around here now! He tells her when they are going to play and when it's time to stop. While she sometimes complains or acts a clown to try and lure him back in, she knows he is really the boss. They have been so good for each other.

Rescue Story: Gidget was between 4-5 months old when one of my coworkers' husbands found her on a roadside in a semi-rural area of north Forsyth County in mid-November. He is a serial softie (dog rescuer). so he picked her up and brought her home out of the cold. However, they already had a full pack, with two older dogs and another recent rescue from a deadbeat neighbor. So they couldn't think of keeping this skinny , stray puppy. After a week of simultaneously looking for her owners and trying to find a home for her in case none were found, they were at a loss of what to do. My co-worker was networking her , but worried they would ultimately have to take her to a shelter. I had seen pictures and listened to my co-worker talk about this sweet little white puppy during that time. It had been less then a month since I had to have my brothers 2 y/o white dog who I was caring for, put to sleep due to aggressive bone cancer. (he had moved to Alaska and left his dog with me. I was supposed to have him for 2 years while he was away but he showed symptoms of cancer within a month of their move and had to be put to sleep 6 weeks later). I'd never been without a dog of my own before, but the two dogs I had at the time really belonged to my daughter and my mother. So I felt like I had a hole in my heart, and couldn't help thinking this poor puppy probably had a hole in hers too. I loved my mother's pit mix and thought the two girls would make a beautiful pair of sisters (not so much, as it turned out : ( ) Finally, I just blurted out one day "okay, I'll take her!" - and I agreed to take in this puppy I had never even met. The next day (the day before Thanksgiving), my coworker's husband met me at the office and handed me a leash and a bed. She was terrified of being handed off, but she was one of the prettiest little things I'd ever seen, and I was instantly in love. The name Gidget came to me as we drove home, because her face was so sweet, like the chipper teenage girl from those old movies.

What is your favorite pastime as a family? Gidget loves to "fetch" sticks and balls....and then play keep-away with them. She finds one and prances around the dog park , showing it off. I love tricking her out of them, while telling her "that's Mommy's stick," or "that's Mommy's ball!" When I finally win the game, she does the fastest, prettiest sit you've ever seen , begging me to throw it again for another round.

What is life like since you rescued Gidget? Gidget proved to be a MESS of a puppy, and she still is a force of nature - too smart and too strong for her own good sometimes. She has mastered the breakout from 3 different types of crates, was able to jump my fence no matter what I did to stop her, and I am currently working through a new Houdini behavior she developed with the room where she stays when I am out. We spent our first New Year's night together at the emergency vet when she escaped and came back home with a lacerated foot. But we bonded very quickly over that first Thanksgiving weekend, and she is a total mommy's girl - nothing comes between Gidget and her mommy.

My family thought I was insane for taking her on, because I was already a single mom taking care of two dogs, and the last thing I needed was a big puppy. When my daughter and her dog moved out, and my mother took her pit mix back; it became just the two of us and Gidget made all the difference in my empty nest. I don't know what I would have done without her....and she shows me every day that she never wants to be without me either. She has a lot of quirks, but I have always gravitated toward the quirky, so she has been just perfect for me--- my companion, my confidant, my alarm system and protector now that I live alone and mostly just a perennial reminder of what love looks like. She has trust issues that date back to whatever her life was before she was found on the side of that road, but she trusts me above all things. She looks to me for what to think of every new person and situation we encounter. It's not a thing I take lightly and it has taught me a lot about how to approach a new life (mostly) on my own. Sometimes you just have to say " I'll take her!" and decide to embrace whatever it is that comes from it.

Photographers note: On this day I had happened to book two photo shoots back to back - who would have guessed both would have a dog sibling that were Cairn Terriers. That was the first thing I noticed when I met this family...another cute little nugget side kick. After that, April had mentioned that Gidget was slow to warm up to strangers...so I basically just ignored her and spoke with April and her son, got some logistics down and by the time we got to our first spot and I was sitting on the ground...it seemed she was ok with me. She came up and gave me some love, and was really relaxed from that point on. Who knows, maybe she thought if this crazy lady is willing to get down to my level, she must not be all bad. I also want to point out that April wasn't kidding about the sticks. They brought her favorite stick from the dog park and she was definitely all about that stick! She was also all about keeping that stick (per April's comments about "keep away" above).

Wilbur - 4/16/16

Name: Wilbur - 1.5-2 y/o

Family Members: Shelly & Trey, Daisy (Cairn Terrier - 12 y/o)

How long has Wilbur been in the family? Since January 23rd, 2016

Professions: Nanny & Server at a Mexican Restaurant

Location: Smyrna

Nicknames: Wilbo Baggins, Wilbo, Easy Weeby, WiWo, WiWi

5 words that best describe Wilbur:

Relaxed
Friendly
Playful
Cuddlebug
Loving

What makes Wilbur unique? His ability to acclimate. Having come from a shelter, I was nervous that Wilbur may struggle to acclimate into a home environment. But from the very first day, Wilbur fit right in like he was meant to be with us. He is an absolutely perfect apartment dog, with just the right amount of energy and relaxation to fit in with our sometimes crazy schedules. He was meant to be part of the family.

Rescue Story: As soon as Trey and I moved in together, I knew I wanted to rescue a dog. I knew that I wanted an adult dog and was actually leaning towards a senior dog. However, when I arrived at Fulton County Animal Services I was immediately introduced to Wilbur, as he was one of their long-time residents. From the get-go, I noticed how calm and mellow he was in the kennel, not desperate for attention like dogs often are in these environments. He made eye contact with me, licked my fingers and stole my heart. I met a few dogs that day, but when Trey and I brought Daisy to the shelter a few days later for a meet and greet, we knew Wilbur was the one. He was nothing but respectful to our old lady and we knew he was ours.

Look at the big I HAVE A NEW HOME smile!

What is your favorite pastime as a family? Wilbur loves going to the river! He has some hip issues so I was naturally nervous the first time he jumped in the water but this boy can swim! He loves making new friends at the river, humans and canine alike.

What is life like since you rescued Wilbur? Wilbur has instilled such a sense of responsibility and purpose in me that I never had before. Every morning at 9:30, I can be sure to be woken up by the sound of Wilbur coming up the stairs ready to go outside and get his day started. So much of my free time revolves around this dog and I could not be happier. Getting paid is so much more exciting for me now because I can't wait to spend money on treats and goodies for this sweet guy who could not be more deserving.

Photographers Note: I met up with this family at a great park, which happen to have a very spacious dog park. So for Wilbur it was party time! He had a blast racing around and if you saw some of the outtakes he even found a couple good sources of mud to lay in! It was so funny when I went back to view the photos from the shoot to make the selection; most of the photos of Wilbur in the dog park he was half in or half out of the frame...just racing around with that big pittie smile! Which was the reason I chose the photo of him above, just racing into the frame...I thought it was appropriate for this little speed demon.

Now I had to add this bonus photo in so you could see pretty clearly just how much mud sweet Wilbur got into that day! He was pretty filthy when he was done and he still had to get in the car to go home!

Blue & Scrappy - 4/10/16

Names: Blue (5 y/o) & Scrappy (5 y/o)

Family Members: Michelle, Charles & Charles Jr (2mths old)

How long have Blue and Scrappy been in the family? Both for 4 1/2 years

Professions: Compliance & Technology Officer at a Dermatology office & Landscape company Foreman

Location: Decatur, GA.

Nicknames: Blue: Boo-Boo, Boo Bear, Big Guy

Scrappy: Scrappy Doo

5 of the best words/phrases that best describe Blue & Scrappy

Blue

Big Baby
Oversize lap dog
Eeyore from Winnie the Pooh
Loves People
Gives lots of kisses

Scrappy

Loyal
Sweetheart
Side Kick
Nanny
Loveable

What makes Blue and Scrappy unique? Looking into Blue's eyes is like looking into an ancient spirit and Scrappy will love you regardless of how you feel that day.

Blue taking a break from some serious ball playing.

Rescue Story: Blue's previous owners were unable to keep him due to breed restrictions. They were going to take him to the shelter and their landlord knew we were looking for a dog and asked if we would take him in. We of course said we would.

Charles found Scrappy by the dumpster searching for food and called him over. Scrappy jumped right in the car. Charles called Michelle to come outside at 2am to see the dog he brought home. Michelle was upset because she normally gets up at 5am and couldn't understand why he was waking her up. When Michelle walked outside and saw Scrappy sitting in the passenger seat she immediately wanted to keep him.

What is your favorite pastime as a family? For Blue it was when he use to sleep with us in our bed. We would wake up with him cuddled in our arms. Charles would go to kiss him in the morning and it was the wrong end! For Scrappy, it's more recent. When we brought the baby home from the hospital, Michelle was holding the baby and sitting on the couch. Scrappy went up to them, sat down and laid his head on Michelle's lap as she held the baby.

What is life like since you rescued Blue & Scrappy? Both of them have a High Life. They are indoor dogs and spoiled like crazy. Blue has claimed the recliner as his own. Scrappy gets all the special attention that he wants and needs. For us they each hold a special place in our hearts. They are like family and nothing can replace them.

Photographers Note: Of course I have to comment on Charles Jr first. Such a sweet and quiet baby. Watching him watch his 4-legged brothers and reach out to touch them, was just so adorable. Love that he gets to grow up with these two wonderful dogs looking out for him. Michelle was not kidding about Scrappy being the Nanny dog. While I was working on getting some shots of the pups, Michelle and Charles Jr were sitting back by the house. Scrappy kept running back to them (in the middle of some serious ball playing with his brother), putting his head on the arm of the chair and checking in on her and the baby. It was so sweet. Now Blue, he is an impressive boy...that head alone!! Whenever I sat on the ground to take a photo, he just couldn't resist running up to me and giving me a huge slobbery kiss. Of course I loved it, my dogs when I got home...not so much! Such an adorable family!

Bowser - 2/20/16

Name: Bowser VONschmalhausen Longino - 2.5 y/o

Family Members: Andrew & Shellie

How long has Bowser been in the family? 2 years, 3 months

Professions: Vocals for Andrew and The Disapyramids & Program Manager at Atlanta Jewish Film Festival

Location: Castleberry Hill - Downtown Atlanta

Nicknames: BowBow, Bowsie, BoBo, Cocoa Puff, Mr. Grunt Grunt, Snuggle Bunny, Boopsie, Boopsie Doodle

5 words that best describe Bowser:

Loving
Sweet
Friendly
Goofy
Playful

What makes Bowser unique? Bowser's "wiggle-butt shake" is the cutest thing ever! There are times when we play tug that Bowser will break away and then shake his whole body - tippy nose to tippy tail, ending with the HUGEST smile on his face.

Rescue Story: A little over two years ago, a small puppy with light brown eyes and a big heart was found wandering the streets for Grant Park. He was all by himself, and when a friend (later to be known as "The Godfather") opened his car door for him - this smart little pup hopped right in, looking to be saved and desperately looking to be loved.

Two days later, this pup was dropped off at our downtown loft in Castleberry Hill. Andrew took one look at this little guy and dubbed him Bowser. His namesakes are Bowser from Mario Bros. and Bowser from Shanana. He's sweet, goofy, loves to cuddle and chase his friends. Bowser's kisses are as legendary as his farts, and people are drawn to his friendly nature. Bowser has truly been the heart and soul of our lives since that lucky October day. He's our kid!!

What is your favorite pastime as a family? Shellie loves when Bowser hops in the bed and curls under the covers at her feet. We call it "tuck-tuck" time. Andrew and Bowser can always be seen around the neighborhood taking walks and sniffing all the trees. (Bowser sniffs, Andrew's a patient dad)

As a family, we love brunching together at the dog-friendly patios around town! Noni's on Edgewood, Brewhouse in L5P, Midway Pub in East Atlanta Village and Smoke Ring in Castleberry Hill are our favorites!

What is life like since you rescued Bowser? Amazing!!! Bowser completes us a family, we always try to have someone home with him and think about his well-being 24/7. Coming home to Bowser's excited tail wags is the best thing ever!

We're very committed to using our resources and volunteering our time for pit bulls. Last year, Shellie planned a fundraiser for Bullseye Rescue called Pit Bulls and Poodle Skirts. There was 50s/60s music featuring Andrew's band, pit bull inspired art and a pin up contest. It was so much fun and all the proceeds went to Bullseye Rescue to support their amazing community efforts. Pit Bulls and Poodle Skirts will be back in 2016!

Photographers Note: This was such a fun shoot for me, not only did I have a family that was used to getting their photos taken and required zero direction from the photographer, but we also walked around their fantastic neighborhood (which is a photographers dream), looking for the best backdrops for their family photo. I had so many great shots, that it was really hard to choose just one.

Now this sweet muffin named Bowser...he was such a good boy. We started with him draining a little energy in his local dog park, which was so great to see that they have this resource right in the middle of a very urban area. Bowser is definitely in the top 5 of posers for this project. He would just sit stock still and adjust his head when you moved the treat, one squeeze of the squeaker dog toy I keep handy and a perfect shot complete with head tilt. A short break in the action and the photographer gets a reward with a little attention from this pretty boy. Just perfection.....

Rosalina - 1/24/16

Name: Rosalina - 2 y/o

Family Members: Meghan, Corey, Remington (K-9), Teagan (K-9), Hemingway (cat) & Gizmo (cat)

How long as Rosalina been in the family? 4 months

Professions: Attorney & Firefighter/Paramedic

Location: Atlanta, GA

Nicknames: Rosa, RosaBean

5 words that best describe Rosa?

Happy
Resilient
Silly
Grateful
Soulful

What makes Rosa unique? Rosa vocalizes her feelings. If she feels something; happiness, frustration, excitement....She will tell you with the funniest noises. It's adorable.

Rosa also LOVES to be in the kitchen. If someone is cooking, she is in the kitchen. She never interferes, she will just sit in the corner leaning up against the cabinets and watch the food being prepared. Corey calls her his sous chef.

Rosa with her favorite toy and journey companion - sock monkey!

Rescue Story: In September, we went to Puerto Rico for a week on vacation. It was the day before we were heading home to Atlanta and we woke up in the morning planning on going snorkeling. As it turned out, it was raining so we made a last minute change of plan and decided to go to the Bacardi Rum distillery instead. On our way to the rum factory, we got lost in a nearby town. As we drove past an empty parking lot, a dog limped up to the street from the bushes. She look injured, so we stopped to see if she needed help. When we pulled into the parking lot she was laid out on the blistering hot asphalt but she wagged her tail as we approached. She was covered in mange and although she wasn't injured she was very sick. We opened the car door and she crawled into the back seat with a boost from Corey. We pulled into the Bacardi Factory and asked the security guard for directions to a vet. He told us how to get to the Banfield clinic at Petsmart. We stopped by a restaurant on the Bacardi grounds and they made some plain chicken and rice for Rosa and got her some water. The bartender at the restaurant gave us a spare leash, collar and towel that she had in her car.

We took Rosa to Banfield clinic. When she walked into the Petsmart she perked up ever so slightly and wagged her tail. She picked up a sock monkey out of one of the bins of toys in Petsmart while we waited and held on to it. At this point, we were both thinking that we would take her to the vet, maybe pay for her initial treatment, and the vet could connect us with a rescue group who could help her. It was then that we learned about the stray dog overpopulation in Puerto Rico. The vet explained to us that the shelters are full and usually euthanize on intake. The rescues are full and are all trying to adopt their dogs off the island. She still agreed to try to help and she did help. She spent 2 hours on the phone calling over a dozen vet clinics and rescue organizations. She finally found a vet that agreed to care for Rosa if we would pay for her treatment and bring her back to the U.S. So we paid for the sock monkey and drove Rosa to Centro Veterinario Guaynabo.

When we arrived, they said they were expecting us and ushered us into a room and set about developing a treatment plan. Rosa had Demodex and several secondary bacteria and yeast infections on her skin. She was anemic and suffering from malnutrition. The vet estimated she had been living on the street for at least 8 months. We left her in the care of the vet, and headed home to Atlanta. They took amazing care of her. They texted us daily with updates and photos, sometimes videos of how she was doing. The sock monkey was with her in every photo. Finally, after about 5 weeks she was well enough to travel, so we ordered a travel crate. shipped it to PR (thank goodness for Amazon Prime) and bought Rosa a plane ticket. The amazing vet tech Jose put the crate together in PR and drove Rosa to the airport for her flight. When she finally arrived in Atlanta, with her sock monkey, she was so happy to see us.

We are continuing to battle the drug resistant bacterial infection on her skin, but she is happy and doing well. Our vet here in Georgia, Dr. Sherry Hilton of Jones Bridge Animal Hospital has been truly wonderful to us and has gone out of her way to make Rosa's treatment affordable and to take amazing care of her. Words can't really express how much we appreciate her help and the help of all the people we have encountered on this journey.

Nothing is known about Rosa's history, but we can tell she had an owner at some point. She is housebroken, crate trained and knows basic commands. The vet in PR said it's not uncommon for people there to abandon their dogs if they fall on hard times.

What is your favorite pastime as a family? Meghan loves taking Rosa on long walk through Piedmont Park and Corey loves to take her for runs through the city.

What is life like since you rescued Rosa? It has been an adventure! But Rosa makes us laugh every day. We did not plan on getting a third dog, but Rosa is such an amazing dog with a kind and resilient spirit that now we can't imagine giving her up. She reminds me to always be hopeful because your life can change in the most unexpected and amazing ways out of nowhere. It's crazy to think that if it had not rained that day in Puerto Rico, if we hadn't gotten lost , if she hadn't limped out of the brush to the road at the exact moment the we were driving by...she wouldn't be asleep next to me on the couch as I type this.

Photographers Note: One day while walking my dog Charlie in Piedmont Park, I see a dog from a distance walking with their human and its looks like a twin to my dog. I slow down and approach them (as recruiting for Shine A Light often happens during walks in various Atlanta locations), upon closer inspection this dog's brindle was a darker shade then Charlie's and just shone in the sun. That dog and human was Rosa and Meghan. I commented on how cute Rosa was of course and mentioned Shine A Light. When Meghan shared just a little bit of their story, I so hoped she would be willing to tell it to a larger audience. Thankfully she contacted me and here is the result.

There are not many people out there that would have done what Meghan and Corey did that day in Puerto Rico. It would have been so easy for them to turn the other way; we don't live here, it's not our problem...but they didn't. They put that sickly pup in their car and did everything they could for her to get her safe. Sounds like they found some pretty wonderful people in PR to help them with that. Look at the result of all that love; a beautiful coat, a warm home and food every day, and just the sweetest and loving demeanor.

During the photo shoot, Meghan realized she had forgotten Rosa's sock monkey. I had asked her to bring it because it's so much a part of her journey. Corey very graciously went back to their place to get it (thankfully they live close by). When Meghan and I were waiting for his return, she turned to me and said " it's funny how a dog that you have just met, can fit into your life and your heart so quickly, like she has always been there." Funny indeed!! Thank you Meghan & Corey for rescuing this sweet girl!

Lily - 1/16/16

Name: Lily - approx. 4 y/o

Family Members: Lisa, Hugh, Ainsely (13), Brenna (10)

How long as Lily been in the family? 1 year

Professions: Kindergarten Paraprofessional and Health & Fitness Coach

Location: Marietta, GA

Nicknames: Lilybean, Lilybug, Sausage, Beanieboo, Beanie, Butterbean

5 words that best describe Lily:

Sweet
Lazy
Smart
Silly
Loving

What makes Lily unique? She loves to get under covers or blankets. She will walk up to you and start grunting at you until you put a blanket on her to go to sleep. She also likes to lay on top of things. She will jump on the bed to lay down with her paws on clothes, folded up blankets or pillows. She will also lay on laundry that is on the floor.

Rescue Story: We had a previous rescue dog who lived to be almost 17. We were without a dog for almost 2 years before we felt we were ready to adopt again. The Homeless Pet Foundation has an adoption center at the end of our street. Lisa had been looking online at the dogs and had seen Lily a couple of times but she didn't get a good vibe from the pictures. We went to the shelter and the other dogs were outside. The volunteer said " Lily is inside with the staff, if you want to see her". Lisa and the girls went inside to look and Lily was laying on the floor as the staff was cleaning around her. She was one of the volunteers' favorite and we were told the staff would "check her out" when they could to take her home for weekends. The girls laid on the floor to play with her and she didn't move, she just soaked up the attention. Her previous owner was traveling more with work and didn't want to keep her boarded, so she brought Lily to this shelter. We were told Lily had been in the shelter for over a year because she is a grey pit mix.

What is your favorite pastime as a family? Walking with her in Kennesaw National Park. She loves the water and the trails. Another pastime would be watching TV with her on the bed - she is so precious and relaxed, and she snores!

What is life like since you rescued Lily? When we adopted her, we were a little apprehensive because of the breed. We had no experience with pits and she is a bigger dog than we thought we were looking for. Lisa especially was intimidated by her size and the breed. The more we researched and got to know Lily, we just loved her. We were amazed that she was in the shelter for a year...she is simply a great addition to our family. We simply fell in love with her. She has brought us love and joy in so many ways.

We are definitely dog people and Lily has fit right in. She is calm, has low energy and sleeps with our girls at night. She was sleeping on their beds but we had to move her to her kennel because she was too much of a bed hog for the girls!! We can't imagine what someone would have to do with this breed to train them to be aggressive or fight - that is just not in her nature at all. She is a wonderful ambassador for pit mixes!

Photographers Note: My good friend and sometimes Shine A Light Photographer's assistant referred this wonderful family to me for the project. The day of the photo shoot happened to be right around Lily's adopt-a-versary, so I brought her a cookie to celebrate. It never hurts to butter up one of your subjects before a shoot. Even with the cookie, she still took some time to warm up to me, especially when I had that large black object pointed at her. She is a very quiet and reserved girl (at least with strangers). You can just see her watching and observing everything. Once you get down on the floor and scratch under her chin, well then you are in! It was so great to see her with the girls and to see how much they love her; and she them.

I so appreciate this family giving her a chance even though they had some reservations in the beginning. In true pit bull fashion she won them over and by doing that has now created two young advocates for the breed, who I know will continue to spread the message about what wonderful dogs they really are!

Lady Bo & Jack Burton - 12/6/15

Names: Lady Bo & Jack Burton

Family Members: Holly and Joshua, 2 kitties

How long have Lady and Jack been in the family? Lady - 5 years & Jack - 2 years

Professions: Public Health Analyst & IT Consultant

Location: Atlanta, GA

Nicknames: Lady Bo: Piggy, Piglet, Ladybug

Jack Burton: Jack, Jackie Pants, Baby Jack, Jack-o-Lantern

5 of the best words/phrases that best describe Lady & Jack?

Lady:

Hungry
Snuggly
Can't control her licker
Goofy
Affectionate

Jack:

Playful
Snuggly
Zest for Life
Wigglebutt
Velcro Dog

What makes Lady and Jack unique? Just one? : ) Lady loves eating so much! Unfortunately she has colitis so she doesn't get to eat many treats other then her food. Otherwise she will get really sick ...then not want to do her favorite thing...eating. Luckily for us, she loves her kibble so much that she thinks of it as a treat, which has been a blessing during training sessions. She eats dinner every day at 4pm and starting at about 2pm she starts giving us anxious side-eye and following us around the house, just waiting for her next meal...thus the nickname Piggy!

Jack lives to play!! He LOVES to fetch lacrosse balls and will run himself ragged. He can catch some serious air! On hot days he can be found playing with his lacrosse balls in his very own baby pool, as he also LOVES water. When inside the house, he has a one track mind.....bone, bone, bone...as in his nylabone. He loves to show everyone his nylabone and prance around the house with it in his mouth. He also likes to try and get everyone in the house to play keep-away with him by putting his nylabone in all of our faces. By everyone, I mean his dog sister Lady, Mom & Dad (Holly, Joshua) and his cat sisters. Poor kid never has any takers! HaHa! Jack is just an all around happy guy and shows it by playing his way through life.

Rescue Story: We met Lady Bo at a Sunday adoption event at Petsmart. She was pulled from Dekalb County Animal Shelter by Animal Action Rescue. All we know about her time before the shelter is that she was a stray. We told the AAR volunteers we were looking for a dog to adopt as soon as we moved into our house from our condo in about a month. The dog needed to be currently living in a foster home with cats (since we have 2 cats). We met two dogs that were being fostered with cats, Lady Bo and a brown dog named Charlotte. We walked Lady around the parking lot (I should say she drug us around the parking lot!) and she kissed us right away. We loved her pittie smile! Since we had some time before we moved into our house, we just kept going to AAR events that she was at so we could hang out with her more. She officially joined our family a few days after we moved into our first house. Before we adopted her she was bounced around to 3 foster homes, as a result seemed unsettled and scared of almost everything. It took awhile for her to know she was in her forever home, that she was well-loved and that she could trust us.

After having Lady for a few years, we thought it was time to grow our family and adopt a brother for her. We started looking online at rescue pitties and came across Jack who was just a 4 month old puppy. He was being fostered through Friends of the Forlorn. We loved their mission and that they have saved so many pitbulls. When we met Jack we were really going to meet his brother from the same litter. We really liked both dogs and planned to adopt his brother. Well, his brother's foster family decided to keep him and we adopted Jack instead. We are SO GLAD things turned out this way, as Jack brings so much joy to our lives. FTTF rescued Jack from a backyard breeder who was trying to sell him and his litter mates at a gas station. A FTTF volunteer thought this was a good opportunity for some outreach and education and convinced the breeder to stop breeding. They turned the remaining puppies over to FTTF and had the mom and dad dogs fixed. I shudder to think of the life Jack could have had if he had wound up in the wrong hands because someone wanted to make a quick buck.

What is your favorite pastime as a family? Lady and I (Holly) love to take long walks around the neighborhood. Lady actually prances like a show dog and gets all the gossip (i.e smells EVERYTHING). When the temperature drops Lady loves to show off her gorgeous houndstooth jacket.

Since we already covered how much Jack loves to play, I'd say our other favorite thing to do is snuggle. He's really always either playing or snuggling, not much in between for him! He loves to be right next to us on the couch or in the bed. He is an excellent spooner (both big and little spoon). Most nights he insists on being under the covers. We all love to watch TV or movies on the couch together, snuggling the whole time.

What is life like since you rescued Lady & Jack? For Lady, life is good. She is adored, loved, snuggled, warm, and all-around very spoiled. She gets to go play with her friends at daycare 2 days a week and sleep with her humans every night. She’s no longer the scared pup we first adopted, she is much more confident, and so full of love and trust for us. Our lives are so happy and hilarious with Lady in it, and she has changed us in countless ways. Every once in a while she’ll get to hang out with some kids, and she REALLY loves that. Perfect height for full contact smooches! Jack has lived a charmed life since he was rescued from the backyard breeder. First he was spoiled by a loving foster family, and that has just continued with us.
Lady and Jack are incredibly sweet to each other, and it’s obvious that Jack really loves having her as a big sister. He can definitely be a typical annoying little brother for Lady, but she really loves him too. I’d say that Jack has turned me (Holly) into more of a homebody than ever before. When there are sweet puppies at home who bring you love and happiness, and you for them, why would you want to be out all the time??

Life for mom and dad is louder than when we only had the cats, and a little messier, but we wouldn’t want it any other way. Neither myself or Joshua had ever lived with 2 dogs before, so figuring out how to manage a 2-dog house was new. We didn’t know much about pitbulls or the discrimination against them before we adopted Lady. Neither of us ever had a pittie before, and didn’t grow up around them. Since having her, we’ve learned all about these issues, initially from personal experiences of people giving us looks and keeping their distance. Now we are proud pitbull advocates, trying to educate the world about how amazing these dogs are! Since having Lady we adopted our 2nd pittie, Jack and can’t imagine how we ever lived without them! We love Lady and Jack, more than we could ever say in words!

Photographers Note: Walking into Holly and Joshua's house, I was exuberantly greeted by Jack as you would expect from his description above. Lady wasn't so sure about me at first. She gave me some side eye and a few barks. I do love the challenge of winning over a pup that is just not sure about me. Sure enough as soon as we went outside and the ball playing began, well then it was all good. I sat on the ground and before long Lady would chase her ball and every now and then, come over to check on me. Even gave me a couple smooches! Victory!! Jack on the other hand is just a good time guy, so joyful and sweet. You can tell he has never met a stranger!

I will say I absolutely loved that when Holly contacted me to volunteer she mentioned they wanted to do their family photo in matching Christmas pajamas. Right after the outside shots, we all came in, there was a costume change and it was like Christmas morning! Merry Pittmas to all and to all a good night!!!

Zao & Marco - 12/6/15

Names: Zao (6 y/o) & Marco (3 y/o)

Family Members: David & Shelby, Starla - pittie sister, Pumpkin - golden/chow mix foster sister, Kona - kitty sister

How long have Zao and Marco been in the family? Zao - 5 years & Marco - 2 years

Professions: Carpenter for Gwinnett County Parks and Teacher at Treehouse Academy

Location: Snellville, GA

Nicknames: Every day we have new "nicknames" for the boys..most are too silly to say! Zanzabar and Marky Larky are just two.

5 of the best words/phrases that best describe Zao & Marco:

Zao:

Snuggly
Pitiful
Plump
Gentle
Catlike

Marco:

Playful
Pitiful
Social
Silly
Lovable

What makes Zao and Marco unique? Zao truly believes he is an 85lb cat. He loves to lay on the arms of couches or your lap at any means necessary. Though the process can be tricky, once he gets comfy he's the best snuggler around. Marco is the social butterfly of the bunch. He enjoys playing with all the animals of the pack equally but is particularly fond of Ms. Pumpkin.

Rescue Story: Zao was actually spotted by my husband at work one day. He was doing work in a park and saw this handsome pup in the playground area. Due to being on the clock at the time he vowed that if the pup was still there at quitting time, he would bring him home with him. Sure enough, Zao was there, playing with the kids who just loved him to pieces! David brought him home and he and Starla have been inseparable ever since!

Marco was found when he was dodging traffic on Five Forks Trickum in Lawerenceville. We took him in and cleaned him up. We looked up the owner's info through a rabies tag. When we attempted to return him home, the owner just didn't seem committed to him anymore; like she was fed up of his fence jumping adventures. So we decided he was meant to be ours. We learned more about his fence jumping a few years later when he got out of our own yard! After a horrific 9 days of missing him and exhausting all efforts to find him, a wonderful family from Grayson called saying they had our baby! He had made the nearly 3 mile trek to Yellow River Park where this loving family knew he had a home somewhere and didn't want him to fall into the wrong hands. We have had to make a lot of adjustments in our lives to accommodate this little rascal, but he is worth every single one!

What is your favorite pastime as a family? On the weekends, we love taking the pups to Stone Mountain Park for hikes and a picnic lunch! They love playing in the creek and getting a "special" lunch. It's also nice to get to show off how mild mannered and lovable they are to passerbys!

What is life like since you rescued Zao & Marco? We feel like every dog we have is special and they were meant to be ours. With 4 dogs and a cat, our house feels full to the max at times but each one adds such a wonderful element to the mix! Zao and Marco have the loving family they may have never got to experience and I am so glad they found their way into our lives.

Photographers Note: It's always fun for me when working with multi-dog packs. The opportunity to sit back and observe the different personalities and how it all works together is really interesting to me. Zao who is sweet as can be but content to wander about and do his own thing; not that focused on the new person in his yard (unless there were treats involved of course). In fact, he was more focused on my bag that had the treats in it, then me! That all being said he was a fantastic subject to take photos of because he is so laid back and very food motivated! Marco on the other hand, is that little brother with all kinds of energy and just wants to play, play, play! Very social as Shelby said and not as food motivated so getting him to sit still took some doing by David and Shelby. He just made me laugh with all of his antics and such a happy boy!

When David had mentioned there family Christmas photo last year were basically outtakes of them wrestling with the 4 pups while the camera was on a timer (now that I would love to see), I was really thrilled to be able to get this family photo of them! Such a good looking group; all humans and dogs are looking at the camera and eyes open!!

Scout - 12/5/15

Name: Scout - 2 y/o

Family Members: Ellen & Steve, Trooper - 3 y/o Boston Terrier brother

How long has Scout been in the family? 1 year

Professions: IT Manager and Engineering Manager

Location: Alpharetta, GA.

Nicknames: (Ellen and Steve claimed Scout did not have any nicknames, but I did hear Steve call her Sunshine at one point, so she has at least one! :) )

5 words that best describe Scout:

Gentle
The best snuggler - the closer, the better as far as she is concerned.
Copycat - she does exactly what her brother does
Expressive (those forehead wrinkles!)
She's come a long way from the skinny, scared of loud noises, likes to be by herself dog we met a year ago.

What makes Scout unique? Scout "sings for her supper". When it's time to eat, she sits outside the pantry , where they eat , and howls - nose in the air, eyes closed, singing a mournful , "Momma, I'm hungry" howly song.

Scout playing tug with her BFF and brother Trooper!

Rescue Story: We don't know much about Scout's background, but we do know that Scout came into the Clayton County shelter pregnant and full of scars, weighing just 44 pounds (with 7 puppies in there!). She birthed 7 puppies in the shelter. All but one died. Angels Among Us got her out of there and to an awesome foster that cared for her and her surviving puppy until they could be separated. We were on our way to a hike with our Boston Terrier rescue, Trooper, and we stopped at PetSmart for an adoption event. Our older dog, Charlie, had passed away 2 months earlier. We weren't sure we were ready to add to our family, but we decided to stop. Scout was sitting quietly with her foster mother, wagging her tail. Trooper approached her, and they were fast friends. The whole family fell in love. She has been a part of our family for almost exactly a year, and despite her past, is the best dog ever, and BFF to Trooper. Scout is happy, sweet and now a healthy 64 pounds.

Scouts Gotcha Day! Her brother is looking pretty happy about getting a new sibling!

What is your favorite pastime as a family? Scout loves an adventure and is happy doing just about anything with her family. She is athletic and enjoys hiking with us. Her latest achievement was hiking to the summit of Mt. Mitchell in Asheville, NC.

What is life like since you rescued Scout? Our family is complete! Scout is our first pit, and we've been shocked at how people react at the way she looks, without ever meeting her. We experience discrimination EVERY TIME we go out in public. People grab their kids/dogs and get out of the way when we are walking in the neighborhood, or on a trail , or anywhere....just because of how she looks. All Scout wants to do is love - she doesn't bark, growl, jump or do anything other then wag her tail and smile. We're working hard to change the perception of her breed and to help others see that pit bulls are family dogs (that actually live in Alpharetta). : ) Scout was afraid of everything when she came to us; loud noises (and not so loud noises), strange people, crowds. Now she is content with people, on hikes, and even with fireworks. She has a full belly, a best friend, lots of toys, a big back yard to run in, and a family. She says "Life is Good"!

Photographers Note: Scout and her family were such a pleasure to meet and photograph. Scout is extremely photogenic and when I was going about the task of selecting which photos to use for the project out of the usually over 100 I take, I burst out laughing because I had about 3 rows of photographs of Scout that were the exact same. She poses like a champ and she will hold it for much longer then most, a photographers dream for sure. I mean look at that big smile.

Now perceptions, I know this is the whole reason I started this project but when I meet these dogs and then hear the stories about how people are afraid of them, it still upsets me. Scout is such a sweet, love bug and all she wanted to do was include me in her activities around the yard. She almost had this earnest expression, as if to say are you my new friend? Whatever this beautiful dogs' past was, it hasn't shaped what she has become; her family has.

Daisy - 10/18/15

Name: Daisy - 2.5 y/o approx. (Daisy's exact birth date is unknown but the vet estimated she was born in February of 2013. I chose 2/13/13 as her DOB because I was in a terrible car accident on that day. Rather then remembering it as one of the worst days of my life, I assigned a positive event to it.)

Family Members: Nicki - Mom, Lauren - age 9 and Patrick - age 6

How long as Daisy been in the family? 2 years

Profession: Administrative Assistant

Location: Dunwoody, GA

Nicknames: Brat, Wiggles/Little Wiggles, Sweet Pibble, Goofy Critter

5 words that best describe Daisy:

Intelligent
Emotive
Athletic
Staunchly Loyal
Resilient

What makes Daisy unique? Without warning, Daisy will bound into my lap (all 47 lbs of her!) and start giving me rapid-fire doggy kisses. The more I laugh, the more excited she gets.

Rescue Story: I lost my American Bulldog to cancer in the summer of 2013. I picked up his remains from the pet crematory and went directly to DeKalb Animal Services. There was a hole in my heart and my household....one that could be filled with a dog who would likely be euthanized. When I walked in, I told the staff I wanted to adopt a young black pit. Black pit bulls can almost be guaranteed a death sentence in a kill shelter. So I was shown every pit bull in the facility and then I decided to let the volunteer help me find the right dog for me. Her name was "California" (now Daisy) was around 6 months old, completely filthy, smelled awful, so thin her ribs jutted out, had gigantic ears --- just a pitiful sight. Within 48 hours of bringing her home, she was deathly sick. For a week she would only take a few small bites of food from my hand and she hid in the back of her crate all day. She nearly succumbed to kennel cough as I sat next to her crate begging her to eat and fight to survive. In reviewing her shelter notes, I learned she was picked up as a stray at Redan High School. I strongly feel men treated Daisy very unkindly during her "former life". She is extremely hesitant and cautious around most men until they earn her trust. For the first several months, poor Daisy had terrible doggy nightmares every night. It broke my heart thinking perhaps she was dreaming about humans hurting her.

What is your favorite pastime as a family? Without question, my favorite past time with Daisy is bedtime snuggling. When we crawl into our bed every night, she immediately does her "nesting routine" (her side is a down feather bed covered with a heavenly fleece blanket). I talk to her, stroke her ears, and wrap my arms around her until I fall asleep. If either of my children climb into bed during the night , they have to compete with Daisy for the spot closest to Mommy.

What is life like since you rescued Daisy? I don't think Daisy could be any happier. She has a huge fenced yard (3/4 acres) to run around, a little girl who she absolutely adores (its totally mutual!), other dogs to chase and play with, and a plush bed to share with her human every night. I can't imagine my life without My Brat. She makes me feel loved, appreciated and safe. I think just about every person should be owned by a Pit!

Photographers Note: Daisy is such a sweetheart and so photogenic. Did you happen to notice her right eye? and those ears!!!! Makes her even more unique and beautiful. She was so funny, when we put the bow tie on her for the first picture she didn't seem to know what to do. She laid down, with her ears pinned to her head and was not happy at first. I think this was her way of saying, " I don't do dress up". To see her do "zoomies" around the yard and romp and play...just brings a smile to your face.

I should add that Nicki shared with me she got her first pit bull when she was 3 years old. Santa had left her a beautiful black brindle puppy (photo below) and she was hooked. After realizing how many of these wonderful dogs are euthanized each year, she started volunteering with Angels Among Us Pet Rescue in 2014. (a great organization that is in the Atlanta area and that I support with donation as well) September of that year, she fostered her first dog. A heart worm positive pregnant pit mix who was going to be euthanized. AAU named her Gioia, the Italian word for Joy. Nicki and Gioia raised 10 puppies together and they are all in amazing homes. People like Nicki are why we will succeed in changing perceptions about these wonderful pups! Thank you for all you do!!