Blog

Cash - 5/20/18

Name: Cash - 9 y/o

Family Members: Danny, Lorraine & Skylar (8 y/o brother)

How long has Cash been in the family? Since he was 4 months old.

Profession: Danny - Business owner & Painter Lorraine - Stay at home Mom

Location: Fayetteville, GA.

Nicknames: Cashman, Cash-ola

5 words/phrases that best describe Cash?

Sweet
Cuddly
Gentle
Big
Gassy

What makes Cash unique? Cash is a gentle giant, he gets abused by the family cat Thunder and smaller dogs that are intimidated by our big boy!

Rescue Story: Cash's previous owner was having health issues and knew he wouldn’t be able to care for him properly. We had just lost another dog that was from the bloodline and wanted another and he fell into our laps.

What is your favorite pastime as a family? He’s a big lazy guy so we like to just hang out and chill, he can be seen on the family ottoman or our bed.

What is life like since you rescued Cash? As are all of our animals past and present, he is very spoiled and wants for nothing. We even converted grandma who was not a pit bull fan at all into one because of the love he showed her and she now has her own. Cash is truly one of a kind, the most laid back and loving teddy bear and makes our life pretty easy to be with him.

Photographers Note: This morning as I was posting some outtakes from our session, I was made aware by a family member that Cash crossed the rainbow bridge this morning. My heart immediately broke for this wonderful family. Doing this project, I only spend short periods of time with my volunteers and am really just an observer to the dynamic that each family has with their dogs and their loved ones. It's the moments in between the photos being taken that I get the honor of seeing the amazing bond within these families. The laughter, the head pats and kisses to the pups, the sweet looks between family members, leaning over to speak quietly into their dogs ear....all of it just continues to illustrate that dogs are our family. I was truly blessed to witness those moments with this family, especially the love that both Cash and Skylar had for each other. Skylar would run off exploring as 8 year old boys do but when he came back, Cash only had eyes for him and Skylar would go immediately to his dog to share more of those moments. I hope the timing of Cash's story on the day of his passing will be seen as a wonderful tribute to a much loved member of this family. RIP Sweet Boy.

Stella - 5/19/18

Name: Stella - 1.5 y/o

Family Members: Stacie & 16 year old human brother

How long has Stella been in the family? 5 months

Profession: Mother/Music Producer (Student)

Location: Vinings, GA.

Nicknames: Stelraq (stel-rock), Dog, Stop

5 words/phrases that best describe Stella?

Beautiful
Energetic
Lap- dog
Athletic
Friendly

What makes Stella unique? She loves to cuddle.

Rescue Story: My son and I took a journey to the Atlanta Humane Society to look at dogs, without the intention of adopting a dog on that certain day. We strolled through the kennels that the dogs were held in and found Stella. She was acting scared in her cage, but we wanted to see what she was like around people. The volunteers at the shelter let her out and allowed us to play with her both outside and in a small room. At first, she was not very interested and just ran around the room acting very put-off. We decided to reserve her for adoption which allowed us to have the option of picking her up the next day or decide we did not want to adopt her. While discussing whether to adopt Stella at home, I had lots worries of adopting a pit bull mix; however, my son had fallen in love with Stella and had felt she would be a good fit. The next morning, we decided we were going to bring Stella home. When we picked her up from the shelter, she was scared to get into the car. After accomplishing what seemed to be an impossible feat, she sat in the backseat scared, the opposite of her energetic self when we got to play with her the first day. After we brought her home, she was overly energetic and would jump and run around with little obedience; however, we did not give up on her due to this slight bump in the road. After a few obedience lessons and lots of attention and playtime, she has settled some and become a loving and compassionate companion in our family.

Stella in her forever home with her very own human brother & best friend!

What is your favorite pastime as a family? I love to hike and explore different places. Stella, I have found, has never done this but she seems to enjoy learning new smells, sounds and places to explore. When we’re done, she’s quite content to nap heavily on the couch! Other times her favorite activity is playing fetch and keep away.

What is life like since you rescued Stella? We lost our 8 year old Rhodesian mix last October and though Stella is such a different dog, she has filled a bit of the void that was left. She’s become a great friend for both my son and me. For her, she started life all the time in a kennel with little attention. I think she’s finally allowed to be a puppy and with anyone, attention and love can turn one into a loving creature.
She loves the camera and I am excited to share with others what makes her special as we both learn about each other.

Photographers Note: I met Stacie & Stella at the Atlanta Polo Fields and what a great place to take your dog (they are welcome). Plenty of space to walk them around the beautiful grounds and the Chattahoochee River runs along the back of the property. I always enjoy meeting people who haven't really had their dogs for very long (4 months at the time of the photo shoot). This is when they are figuring each other out, the human is learning what the pup needs to be successful and at the same time the pup is learning what is expected of them in their forever home. Stella didn't have the chance to "dog" in her previous home, so now Stacie is patiently letting her figure things out. From the looks of it, these two are making quick work of it. Their communication is pretty spot on....and yes Stella has some puppy type moments but she really minded Stacie and it was great to see that bond between them, all in just a few months. Can't wait to hear more about the adventures that Stacie will introduce to Stella in the future, because this energetic girl is definitely game! I think Stacie's son was spot on, she is a great fit!!

Lela - 5/13/18

Name: Lela - 5-ish y/o (we think)

Family Members: Chris, Caroline & Audrey (12 y/o)

How long has Lela been in the family? 4 years

Profession: Caroline - Nanny & Circus teacher, Chris- Shop Owner

Location: East Atlanta, GA.

Nicknames: Wewa , Rerun, Goat, Piggie, Goof Ball, Truffle Pig

5 words/phrases that best describe Lela?

Loyal
Bed Hog
Clumsy
Gentle
Loving

What makes Lela unique? She digs up worms and grubs deep out of the ground hence her nickname Truffle Pig.

Rescue Story: We were coming down a dark road at night on a back road in East
Atlanta. There were no lights and suddenly we see glowing eyes that are far too tall to be a kitty cat or any other kind of roadside animal. We stopped the car and there I found my beautiful Lela. I was a little bit afraid when I got out of the car because she is a pit bull but as soon as I went and put my hand on her head she immediately rolled over and showed me her belly ! She hopped in the car with my daughter and started licking her! She came home with us and we took tons of pictures to find her another home. Eventually I realized that with the number of pit bulls there are in Atlanta, trying to give away another one was futile. So we decided to keep her in our family. It appeared that she had been dumped after being grossly over bred. Her poor teats hung to the ground making her less than attractive. She had been eating trash and sleeping outside for days maybe weeks. We joked that we would have to get her a bra and some glamour shots just to get her adopted. I was a cat owner, never personally owned a dog outside of my grandmother's large Pomeranian that was "mine" when I visited.
We have three cats so at first we crated her when we left home for fear she would hurt the cats. Now she roams freely. She is scared of the kitties but they coexist peacefully. My gentle giant is the MOST scared of my one eyed , 15 year old kitty who barely weighs 6 lbs. The senior kitty has been known to hiss and scratch occasionally because she is an old badass. I like to tell people my pittie is about as scary as Scooby-Doo and just as graceful. She is a total house dog, obsessed with sleeping on the couch and bed. She even goes as far as to steal my pillow and put her head on it like a person. She also loves to be under the covers. I have always been an animal lover and never actually gave into the negative pit bull hype however my Lela has changed my entire perspective about pit bulls and bully breeds forever. I feel the driving desire to fight for them and help change the negative ways some people perceive them. I love pitties even more now because they are the underdog, misunderstood and exploited. I believe all my future dogs will be rescue pit bulls .

What is your favorite pastime as a family? She is the biggest baby and snuggler ever. She loves nature walks and adores my kid. She loves going for rides in Dad's old beat up noisy van. Her new hang out spot in the back yard is a van seat Dad took out temporarily but now she thinks it's her outside bed. She sits on it and pretends she is on a car ride. She loves all children.

What is life like since you rescued Lela? I am more passionate about pit bulls being portrayed as vicious. My dog is definitely a family dog and I think the stigma causes so many adoptable pits to be overlooked, put down, neglected or abused. The stigma is false, with love and understanding they are amazing pets. My only complaint is she is a snack stealer; we have to keep anything edible out of the dog zone. She's like a bloodhound sniffing out empty snack wrappers! That is really my ONLY complaint about my goofball. I joke she's trying to save me from calories and carbs because she loves me! I don't think my dog remembers her past life or her puppies. I think she is perfectly content being my big baby. I cannot believe I ever tried to adopt her out!

Photographers Note: First thing to note about this beautiful dog is that you would have never guessed her previous condition when rescued by this wonderful family. She looks amazing, which is just a testament to what a loving home can do for any dog. She really did crack me up during the photo shoot, because she wasn't so thrilled about getting her photo taken but things got better when she could sit on some of the outdoor seating. So I guess the description of a couch potato was spot on for this pampered girl!

I have to comment on this pups eyes. Doing this project I see a lot of beautiful eyes on these dogs. I can say I have never seen eyes like Lela's....they were just amazing. They basically matched her fur color, complete with variation to the gray. I told Caroline they reminded me of Marbles. So of course, close ups of her face would need to be mandatory so those of you reading her story can get lost in those unique eyes as well!

Daphne - 5/6/18

Name: Daphne - About 14mths old

Family Members: Caitlyn & her other Mom, Maryssa- We're best friends/roommates

How long has Daphne been in the family? About 6 weeks

Profession: Insurance Coder & Accountant

Location: Midtown Atlanta, GA.

Nicknames: So far we call her Daph, Sweet Girl or I'll call her Prancer sometimes when she's giddy and we're out walking because of the way she prances around all happy.

5 words/phrases that best describe Daphne?

Licker
Playful
Sweet
Happy
Cuddler

What makes Daphne unique? Daphne is the first dog I've rescued and I am always amazed at how sweet and playful she is for having the past she must have had. Though not a lot is known about her backstory, she has tiny cropped ears thanks to her terrible previous owner. She came in with barely any hair thanks to mange and she still thrives and is a happy go lucky girl.

Rescue Story: I was looking on the Atlanta Humane Society website for weeks and came across her story on their Facebook page. I then found her amazing foster mom, Erica, on Instagram and asked her a few questions about her story, her mange and what that recovery entailed. The next day I saw The Asher House was coming to the area for an adoption event and thought it was the perfect opportunity to go and meet our girl, then known as Butter or Butterscotch. I adopted her that day and took her home a couple of days later. I made an Instagram page because so many people wanted to see her recovery continue. One day the page had a comment on one of the pictures from the sweet woman who saw her at DeKalb Animal Services. She was the one who got in touch with the Atlanta Humane Society so our girl could get the care she needed and her name is actually Daphne. When I found that out, I knew her name was meant to be. She's been the best addition to our life in the short time we've had her and I wouldn't change it for the world. I can't sleep without her nose nudged into my side at night.

Her intake photo on the left and adoption day on the right!

What is your favorite pastime as a family? We haven't had much time with her but she enjoys running after birds in Piedmont Park and visiting the dog park whenever she can. She makes a new friend literally every time we walk her outside.

What is life like since you rescued Daphne? She seems at ease in her new home and we wouldn't have it any other way. I love coming home to her wagging tail, waiting to go for a walk. I can't wait until we can take her on so many adventures and see how her recovery continues!

Photographers Note: So truth be told I may have started stalking this gorgeous pup on Instagram before she was adopted by Caitlyn. Her foster Mom has an account that she uses to help her current fosters find homes and I came across Daphne that way (fka Butter). I just loved the personality of this sweet pup and how it came through in the pictures posted. So I started keeping an eye on her journey and sure enough saw her adoption day on Instagram. Then as luck would have it, Caitlyn joined a Facebook group that I am a part of for Pit Bull parents and I asked/begged her to volunteer so I could meet this sweet girl.

Daphne is just such a funny pup, from chasing birds in the sky, to wanting to run after blowing leaves in the wind....only to stop for a good stick chewing break here and there. So much silly puppy energy, which is always so good to see so soon after a pup has been adopted. You can tell she took no time adjusting to her new life and you can barely even see anything left of her mange. This is one happy girl and a perfect forever home match! So happy I got to see the final piece to Daphne's story in person!

Lady Love - 5/5/18

Name: Lady Love - 2 y/o

Family Members: Monnica, Brent, Gracie (2 legged sister) –age 12, Bugsby (doggie brother – Age 8) Charlie (cat brother- 2 Year), Ranger (cat brother- 1 year) and Gidget(cat sister- 1 ½ year)

How long has Lady Love been in the family? 5 months

Professions: Monnica- Aviation Safety Inspector with the FAA; Brent – Home Inspector

Location: Peachtree City, GA.

Nicknames: Lady, Boo, Baby, LayLay

5 words/phrases that best describe Lady Love?

Love
Snuggle-Bug
Deaf
Determined
Survivor

What makes Lady Love unique? : Despite being treated horribly by people the first half of her life, she is such a loving little girl. Lady Love snuggles on the couch and just eats up love and attention. She likes to lay with her head on your chest and she snores…really loud.

Rescue Story: I saw a post on GA Bully Breed Rescue Networking Facebook page (which I was not a member of at the time so I don’t know how it showed up on my Facebook feed) begging for a home for Lady Love. The post was from a volunteer at Refuge Rescue of Woodstock. She told a brief story about Lady’s heartbreaking beginning to life and called her the “perfect family dog”. The only reason that she wasn’t already adopted was because she was deaf. I knew that Lady deserved a chance to be happy so I snuck (literally) out of the house early one Saturday morning and drove from Peachtree City to Woodstock to meet Lady Love. Keep in mind that we already had 4 animals (3 cats and 1 dog) and just helped rehab a pit bull dog that had recently been selected as a service dog with Healing4Heroes. Needless to say, I was caught red handed. My husband called me when he woke up and asked where I was; I replied “I’m on a little road trip…to meet a dog”. Long story short, Lady came home with me that day (yes, I have the best husband in the world). And now, Lady is such a daddy’s girl. All of the Refuge Rescue volunteers where so happy that Lady Love finally had a home. Several of them cried and I received calls and Facebook messages from several others. I knew there had to be more to Lady’s story. Come to find out, in December 2016 Lady and her sister Dreamer were left for dead in Clayton County when workers found them tied up outside of a house where the tenant was evicted. Neither had access to food or water. Unfortunately, Dreamer was so malnourished that she didn’t survive the trip to the vet. She starved to death! How Lady survived, I’ll never know. Several animal advocates have fought hard to bring justice (Justice for Dreamer) to the man responsible for this crime and is awaiting trial.

It’s been quite an adjustment period learning to live with a deaf dog and dealing with so much of what comes with teaching a very abused and neglected dog to trust again. Lady Love was the name given to her by Refuge Rescue and we just couldn’t think of changing it because she is such a sweet lady and is so full of love. Now Lady Love has her own Facebook and Instagram account (@ladyloveisjoy) so all of the people involved in her rescue can see how Lady Love is living happily ever after!

What is your pastime as a family? Watching Lady Love do her “zoomies” in the back yard and of course, snuggling on the couch with her!

What is life like since you rescued Lady Love? Hectic. I’m no dog trainer and trying to get a deaf dog to live peacefully with 3 cats and an older, set in his way dog brother has been quite the challenge. Thankfully, I have the best force free dog trainer that is helping all of us live peacefully.
As for Lady, she’s the princess of the house with unlimited access to toys (she loves soft plush toys), chew toys, snuggles and lots of pink accessories!

Photographers Note: It is always a unique challenge working with a deaf dog. The usual tricks to get their attention don't work, weird animal sounds, crinkle of a treat bag or the squeaker from a toy. Thankfully once we got Lady's attention with a treat or just eye contact, she did really well posing for her shots. To see this sweet beautiful girl today, you would never guess the horrific past she came from. Yet another example of the resilience of these dogs and the their ability to live in the now. Lady was more then happy to show off her zoomie skills during our photo shoot, while keeping the big pittie smile in place the whole time!

News Article about Lady Love & Dreamer: https://www.11alive.com/article/life/pets/person-of-interest-named-in-animal-abuse-case/85-363215645

Betty White - 4/28/18

Name: Betty White - 1.5 y/o

Family Members: Cameron & Callie

How long has Betty White been in the family? One year

Profession: Lab Tech

Location: Marietta, GA.

Nicknames: B-Dubbs

5 words/phrases that best describe Betty White?

Stick Lover
Cuddle Monster
Miss Sassy Pants
Super Playful
Social Butterfly

What makes Betty White unique? Betty loves to “talk”. When she wants to play or just tell you what she’s thinking. She will chit chat with you and even say “wuv (love) you”!

Rescue Story: I had just moved from Alabama to be with Cameron. We knew eventually we wanted to get a dog, but we were going to wait until we got a house and moved out of our apartment. Betty had other plans! She decided to be super cute playing with her foster sister and her tennis ball, and when I came across her picture I just knew she was the one! At our first meet & greet, there was no denying that she was the piece to our little family that we never knew was missing.

What is your favorite pastime as a family? It’s hard to pick just one because we have so much fun. Outside: She loves going to the park, new Braves stadium, and on bully walks to make new friends and enjoy the outdoors! Inside: We like to get on the floor, play wrestle, and make “Twister poses” so she can crawl in and out of our arms and legs like an obstacle course.

What is life like since you rescued Betty White? PRICELESS. There are times where she “pouts” and gives us the silent treatment when she doesn’t get her way. But, she is also the most loyal, obedient, and loving dog. We have learned to give up our space on the couch, in our bed (on the few nights she sleeps outside of her kennel), and definitely in our hearts! We have learned about proper discipline, rewards for good behavior, fitting a 70-lbs dog in the bathtub, and the paranoia that arises from the smallest skin rashes. I can’t even remember what life was like before we adopted her.

Photographers Note: First of all, Callie had asked if I wouldn't mind using their family shot to help with a pretty big announcement! OF COURSE NOT! So honored to be able to do that for them and paws crossed a certain 4- legged pit mix may be a ring bearer???

We did the photo shoot in a great open field, with plenty of room for Betty to show off her stick and ball prowess. She had a blast running around and provided a lot of opportunities for some great action shots! She also has the darkest most beautiful eyes. I could see an amazing reflection in each shot. Instead of correcting that, I decided to keep it because it just adds to her uniqueness. This girl is just the sweetest and so well behaved. It was really wonderful to see what a great little family they already are!

Willow - 4/13/18

Name: Willow - 1-2 years old

Family Members: Jessica, 2 rescue kitties, Lily (12) and Pepper (3)

How long has Willow been in the family? Adopted from Dekalb County Animal Services on October 27, 2017

Profession: Health Scientist

Location: Tucker, GA.

Nicknames: Lunch (because I left work ‘to go grab some lunch’ when I was actually going to the shelter to look at dogs), Willow Bee, Bee Belle, Silly Willy

5 words/phrases that best describe Willow?

Observant
Houdini
SUPER Smart
Independent
People Lover

What makes Willow unique? She can jump like no other! She has yet to find a fence or wall that can keep her in when she’s determined to be on the other side of it and her skills are really darn impressive.

Rescue Story: I’d recently and unexpectedly had to say goodbye to my beloved dog of 10 years and was still very much in mourning. I had a foster dog (who was formerly hospice but turned out to be treatable) that I’d had for 7 months and who had been officially adopted but was still hanging out with me for a couple of weeks until his mom could take him home. In the last 10 years, I’d rarely gone anywhere without my bud and had become very accustomed to always having a dog around. DCAS had a fee-waived adoption event the weekend before my foster was scheduled to leave, and my fear of being temporarily dogless along with the incentive of saving another life for free drew me to the shelter during my lunch break. My best friend and I walked up and down the rows and met a few dogs, but the process can be overwhelming and I didn’t feel like I’d really connected with any of them. We were about to leave, when I decided to walk down one row a second time, where I’d noticed a gorgeous brindle girl the first time through. She was so calm in the cage and looked me right in the eyes, even when everyone around her was going nuts. So I found a staff member and asked them if they’d pull her out for us to meet each other in a play yard. She did the normal amount of sniffing and running around and sitting on the bench (to this day she much prefers to be on an elevated surface than on the floor) and then she walked to the corner and jumped right over the 7-8 foot cement wall to the other side. We frantically ran back through the shelter, and yelled into the adoptions counselor that she’d jumped the wall as we tore out the front door to find her just hanging out in the bushes right where she’d hopped over. When she saw us she smiled and wagged her tail in a “what’s all the commotion about?” way and I knew that she had just the right amount of spunk to fit in with my crew. I’ve always had a thing for the too smart for their own good type, and any dog that can hop a fence in such a short amount of time certainly fits that description in my book. She came into the shelter as a very skinny stray. I can’t help but wonder if her previous family got sick of tracking her down when she continued to escape the yard. It took a few months for her to really settle in, but she’s mostly stopped jumping fences to escape and seems to be happy to stay where she is loved and gets the good treats.

What is your favorite pastime as a family? Now that she’s comfortable in her own home, we’ve started exploring our neighborhood and discovered that she loves to hike trails and dip her toes in the lake. Hopefully we can continue expanding her horizons as it warms up and see how she feels about being a SUP dog!

What is life like since you rescued Willow? It is always a transition going from having an older comfortable dog to a young energetic one. I’d be lying if I didn’t say we both had a bit of an adjustment period at the beginning, and I wasn’t quite ready to fully embrace a new pup as I was still in mourning over my old one. We did eventually hit our stride though, and I couldn’t imagine life without her. She’s definitely making me get back to my more active outdoorsy self and that interaction has really helped our bond grow by leaps and bounds. We’re both becoming less neurotic thanks to the great outdoors and are figuring out how to effectively communicate with each other. She didn’t know what toys were or even how to play with them when she first came into my house, so seeing her transition from confused by squeakers to a highly effective toy de-stuffer has been really fun. She does a lot of throwing toys up in the air and rolling around on her back with toys in her mouth and acts like a real puppy learning about life.

Photographers Note: The first thing you notice about Willow is of course her beautiful coat and amber eyes....but then that all fades away because her personality takes front and center stage! This pup had me cracking up the entire time I was with them with her silly antics and zoomies around the yard. Then when we slowed down a bit for their family shot, this was how she posed! No prompting, she just went right to the full cockroach position! Jessica's comment was" yep, this pretty much sums her up"! Probably the best family shot I have ever taken! :) It's pretty clear this girls fence hopping days are over, now that she is safe, secure and loved, she knows were she wants to be...in her forever home!

Nahla - 3/30/18

Name: Nahla - 4 y/o (birthday is June 20th)

Family Members: Sara & John, other dogs are Fancy and Swayze (toy poodles)

How long has Nahla been in the family? Nahla has been with us for a year and a half now. We met her a week before our honeymoon cruise back in November 2016. My husband and I couldn’t stop thinking about her the whole time we were in the Bahamas! We were supposed to pick her up a week after we got back but her owners had an emergency so we drove up the day after we got home and the rest is history!

Professions: Sara- Graphic Designer, John - Refrigeration Technician

Location: Winder, GA.

Nicknames: Heifer, Baby Girl

5 words/phrases that best describe Nahla?

Cuddle Bug
Bed Hog
Stealer of Covers
Gentle
House Hippo

What makes Nahla unique? Nahla is extremely vocal! Not in the annoying bark all the time way
but a mumble/whine under her breath. The first night we had her we tried to make her sleep in her bed because her previous owners told us she slept on the floor. At the time my husband did not want dogs in the bed because he thought it was gross (hahaha that didn’t
last long!), so we made her sleep on the floor next to us. We laid there for maybe 5 minutes before she walked over to my husbands side of the bed and made this whining/grumble sound. We tried not to laugh because it was so exaggerated and we tried to ignore it thinking
she would go back to bed. Nope. Not happening. She then walked over to my side of the bed, got right next to my head, and groaned again. Pretty much saying “Hey… so dad won’t let me in the bed so I’m gonna sit here and express my concerns till you let me in the
bed with you.” Well you can probably guess who won that argument… Heifer hopped in the bed and slept between us all night. Now my husband can’t sleep unless she’s in the bed cuddling with him. (I secretly knew he’d cave!)

Rescue Story: Shortly after we got married my husband and I decided to open our
hearts to another dog. I was looking on Craigslist and shelter sites for an older dog because we really didn’t want to go through the puppy stage again and stumbled across Nahla’s picture. I messaged her owner and we talked for hours! I knew she had a loving family and was spoiled rotten. I later found out why they could not keep her and it broke my heart. Her previous owners had a 9 month old baby who was born with an entire chamber of his heart missing so
he was in the hospital for months on end. They had to travel to Boston for his open heart surgery and other procedures and would stay for several weeks at a time. They felt it wasn’t fair to her with them being gone so much and decided to re-home her. What drew me
to Nahla was how gentle and loving she was with their son. She never ran in the house when the baby was in the room and acted like a nanny to him. I knew right then and there she was the dog for us. When we met her I was completely smitten! To this day we still talk
to and hang out with her previous family and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Her previous owner said they couldn’t have picked a better family for her to live with. We spoil her rotten because to us she is our child, not just a dog.

What is your favorite pastime as a family? I would have to say our favorite thing to do with
Nahla is camping and going to the park. This girl LIVES for the water! In the summer we take her to Fort Yargo State Park and her favorite thing to do is play fetch in the lake. She will go and go till she passes out if I let her. After she’s good and worn out Nahla climbs in my hammock with me while her dad fishes. She’s the perfect balance of active and cuddle bug.

What is life like since you rescued Nahla? AWESOME! Like no joke this dog has changed our lives! We’re more active as a family and it’s all because of Nahla. She fits perfectly with our other two dogs and it’s the cutest thing watching her play with her 8 pound brother. They love to play tug-o-war which usually turns into Nahla dragging Swayze around on the floor as she
carries the toy to her bed.

Photographers Note: Sara chose a beautiful setting for our photo shoot, Tribble Mill Park. There was a nice big field (complete with purple flowers) for Nahla to show off her ball skills and then we took a short walk to a river with some amazing smooth rocks all around, a photographers dream for sure. I have to say this girl is very well trained and a rock star poser.....so between capturing her athletic abilities which is always fun and challenging for me; and just her regular poses, I took over 300 pictures of this one dog and her family! Whoops! Makes the decision process a tough one!

It sounds like this girl hit the jackpot twice in her life, her first family who loved her and wanted to do right by her, and her family now who just continued with the love and the spoiling without skipping a beat! She is one lucky girl! If you want to follow her adventures her Instagram account is: @house_hippo

Sky - 3/24/18

Name: Sky - 4 y/o

Family Members: Jocelyn & Jon, Joe-Labradoodle (9yo), Gus-shitzu-poodle (9yo) &
Meanie-black cat (4yo)

How long has Sky been in the family? 3 years

Professions: Jocelyn is a fourth grade teacher & Jon is a systems architect for a small data storage company.

Location: East Atlanta, GA.

Nicknames: Sky-Bye, Sky Haven Fall Berry, Okja

5 words/phrases that best describe Sky?

Sleepy-head
Spoiled Rotten
Yogi
Full Figured
Cuddle Bug

What makes Sky unique? Sky is compassionate; she hates hearing babies cry on tv, movies or in real life. She also doesn’t like when she hears other dogs in distress. She will immediately come seeking a hug when she gets stressed out by these sounds.

Rescue Story: My husband and I rescued our fourth animal, but first pittie 3 years ago. It was an exceptionally cold February night with lows near 12. We were driving home from bowling with some friends and turned up our street, Skyhaven. That's when we saw this emaciated and famished blue pit bull sniffing around the neighbor’s garbage. (Later she coughed up half a corn cob.) We instantly stopped the car and without a conversation, understood that we needed to help, and likely keep this dog. I opened the door of my car and called to her. Without delay she came to my call and crawled up into my lap. I could see her entire spine and all of her ribs, she had engorged mammary glands (indicating she was a new mama) one of which was badly infected. We didn't know it at
the time but she was also riddled with advanced heartworm. We stopped at the house to get her some dog food, treats, blankets, and water; then rushed her to Village Vets in Decatur. We had to admit her, for shots, tests, fluids and monitoring. 1 night turned into 3 with multiple return visits over the next few weeks. When she was initially discharged we brought her to our vet East Atlanta Animal Clinic where they spent the next year working with us to fix up Sky. She was going to need vaccines, heartworm treatment, antibiotics to help with her mastitis infection, and down the road would need to be spayed. We were at a loss. This dog had already lived such a tough life. We knew we had to help her but weren’t sure how to financially swing it. We decided to start a Go Fund Me to help save Sky. With the help of our neighbors, friends and family we were able to raise about half of the total costs needed to rehabilitate our girl.
We found out through a neighbor that Sky had belonged to another neighbor and was being bred illegally. We found out that she had already given birth 3 times in her short 1.5 year life span. Sky was in such bad shape when she gave birth the first time, she ended up eating her litter. I didn’t believe dogs did this...turns out, they do. When a mother recognizes she is starving, can’t provide for her young, or is in major distress, she will eat her puppies for survival. This broke my heart. When she was heartworm free, she was spayed. During her treatment she would go into heat and we had our first experience with reusable dog diapers.
Now she is a full figured, grinning sleepy-head. She sleeps in bed with us, and rests her head on our pillows like the lady she is. She cleans and spoons our cat, rips holes in all our throw blankets and sheets because she has to build the fluffiest nest before committing to laying down. She defends our home and her pack. Some of her favorite activities include sunbathing, camping, hiking and car rides. She also enjoys getting belly rubs with coconut oil to help keep her sensitive skin moisturized. If we laying down next to Sky and we are not cuddling or petting her, she will extend her paw and tap us until we get the hint and dote on her some more.

What is your favorite pastime as a family? Sunday morning snuggles in bed. During the work week I am up pretty early and that doesn’t agree with Sky’s schedule. I literally have to drag her from the bed by her front paws so she will go out before I head to work. On Sundays though, we get to stay in bed curled under the blankets. Her soft snoring is much like the purring Meanie makes while cuddled up next to Sky.

What is life like since you rescued Sky? Sky shows us how to appreciate the little moments, how to love unconditionally and how to forgive. We soon realized after rescuing Sky that our bed was not nearly enough room for 2 people, 3 dogs, and a cat. For our first anniversary we decided to invest in a King size bed to accommodate the Paez Pack. However, the bed was pretty high off the ground, so we ultimately ended up buying a bench for the foot of the bed that Sky and her brother, Gus use as a step stool. We have had to purchase more sheets and blankets because while Sky settles herself into a heap of blankets, she inevitably ends up tearing 90 degree rips in the fabrics. Even as aggravating as that can be, seeing Sky peacefully snoring tugs on all our heart-strings.

Photographers Notes: Sky's start in life is truly heartbreaking. However in typical dog fashion, she doesn't dwell on the past. She just enjoys the now and the loving family she is now a part of. To meet her and see that smile, there is not a trace of her past life there. I mean this girl has every reason not to trust humans but instead she is the sweetest silliest pup. She was happy to roll over for a belly rub during our photo shoot and even catch a couple winks (I mean being a model is hard work after all). When we were done, she walked right over to a gentlemen that was filming something in the park. She just plopped right down next to his seat and waited for him to pet her! It was really cute and the gentlemen was happy to oblige! The resiliency of dogs continues to amaze me and inspire me to also live in the now. We can learn so much from our lovable 4 - legged family members!

Lily - 3/18/18

Name: Lily - 2.5 y/o

Family Members: Kelsey & Austin

How long has Lily been in the family? She been in our family for about 8 months.

Professions: Kelsey is a customer service representative for a State Farm agent in Vinings & Austin is a parts clerk at Western Express.

Location: Marietta, GA

Nicknames: Lily Bug, Jumping Bean (she has springs for legs), Brat

5 words/phrases that best describe Lily?

Silly
Loving
Cuddly
Smart
Loyal

What makes Lily unique? Lily is great at giving me those “puppy dog” eyes every time I sit down for dinner. So of course I end up giving her my food because I feel guilty if I don’t.

Rescue Story: My fiancé (Austin) and I just moved in to our own place last June, and we really wanted a dog. He works late nights so most of the time I am home by myself, so we both agreed that getting a dog would be good for us. We did a little research on a few shelters and ended up finding Lifeline Animal Project in DeKalb County. We went up there and looked around at a few dogs, and they ended up bringing out Lily (formerly Hisa). We immediately fell in love. She was so happy and so sweet, we had to take her home right then! Ever since, she has been a blessing in our little family.

What is your favorite pastime as a family? Lily and I love to go on walks! We both love to explore new places, but sometimes she can be pretty lazy; so we end up just binge watching a TV show on Netflix. Also, during the summer, we love to go ride around on the boat at Lake Allatoona!

What is life like since you rescued Lily? My life has completely changed ever since we rescued Lily. I grew up with dogs (6 miniature dachshunds to be exact), but Lily is my OWN dog. She’s the first one that I’ve actually had to take care of, like take to the vet for shots, get nails clipped, etc. Not only has she taught me some responsibility, but she has been a blessing. She always makes us feel so loved, and knows how to cheer me up when I’m feeling down. I feel that we have also helped Lily be able to live a normal dog life now. She went into the shelter as a stray, and was in there for about a year until we adopted her. I have seen a change in her attitude and personality overall within the last few months. She has finally opened up to us because she knows that she has a forever home now.

Photographers Note: When Kelsey and I were communicating on a spot for their photo shoot, she had mentioned that Lily can get a little anxious around other dogs. Even though Piedmont Park can get busy, I figured it's large enough that we could find a quiet spot and it wouldn't be an issue. Well, to my surprise Lily was the PERFECT model. When I was taking their family photo, I kid you not Lily was exactly the same in all 40 shots I took. She was so focused, looking directly at the camera the whole time. Even some folks that were waiting for our spot commented on what a good girl she was. When we moved to another location, there were a few dogs in the distance and one or two she wanted to take off and play with, but for the most part she was so good! This girl may have a profession in dog modeling! Of course my favorite part of the whole shoot was at the end, when I asked her if she would take a selfie with me and she immediately climbed up on my lap! Such a sweetheart!

Robert "Bubba" Redford - 3/9/18

Name: Robert Redford - (7-10 y/o)

Family Members: Jeff & Staci - Dog Siblings: Chance & Stanley

How long has Robert Redford been in the family? Just over a year.

Professions: Jeff- Lawyer, Staci- Ad Manager

Location: Decatur, GA.

Nicknames: Bubba (This is what we call him 99% of the time)

5 words/phrases that best describe Bubba?

Opinionated
Ridiculous
Old dog learning new tricks
Snuggle Bug
Goofball

What makes Bubba unique? Bubba carries his bowls around and uses them to express his feelings. We can be in the basement and hear him throwing his bowl across the hardwood floors because he is upset that he can’t be with us. We will come home and he will be carrying a bowl to the front door because he is excited to see us. He will also take his bowls outside and hide them. This sometimes makes mealtime exciting since we have to find the bowl before we can put food in it.

Rescue Story: We had just adopted out a pit bull we had been fostering and the house felt a bit empty. We were in the process of selling our home and finding another so we didn’t want to take on another foster. Then we saw Robert Redford. PAWS Atlanta had put out a plea to find a forever foster/hospice situation for him on their Facebook page. Bubba had been pulled from Dekalb Animal Control and was heartworm positive. They had done the heartworm treatment but, unfortunately, the heartworms were too advanced and he went into heart failure. He was living in the cat cottage and the good people at PAWS wanted to make sure Bubba knew what a loving home was before he crossed the rainbow bridge. We couldn’t say no. His face was so sweet and sad. We knew we could help him for whatever time he had left. We were told three months tops and, if he made it to the summer, he’d likely decline quickly in the heat. We took him home, got some weight off of him through diet, exercise and made sure he stayed on his medications. More importantly, we loved him. Bubba has been with us for just over a year and showing signs of improvement every time we take him for his check-up. PAWS can’t believe how good of shape he is in now. We are starting to call him Benjamin Button. We sincerely hope that Bubba can give hope to others whose dogs have been given a scary diagnosis. You have to be prepared for the inevitable but these dogs can live a long, quality life until it’s their time.

What is your favorite pastime as a family? We take Bubba on very short walks and let him run around the back yard with his fur brother, Stan. He recently learned to play wrestle with Stan; it took him almost the full year to figure it out. Because of Bubba’s condition, we watch him closely and limit his exercise so he doesn’t over exert his heart. As a result, he’s become a very snuggly couch potato! He will also dig on the master bed until all the sheets and pillows are in the center for a nest so he can nap in optimum comfort. And, of course, his favorite pastime is moving his bowls around.

What is life like since you rescued Bubba? Full and unpredictable! Bubba is a spoiled pup now. He sleeps on the bed, is fed high end food, and gets delicious treats. He is told he is loved every day and gets ear scratches on demand. He has come a long way from AC and the cat cottage at PAWS! And we are honored that Bubba knows what real love is and that we were able to provide that. More importantly, Bubba has taught us a lot about resilience and defying the odds.

Photographers Note: Often my volunteers fill out the questionnaire a few weeks before I actually get to meet them and take their photos. Which means a lot can change in that time, especially for a dog like Bubba. When I arrived at Jeff and Staci's home, they had recent news from a vet appt that was a game changer for sure. It would seem that the cardiologist believed Bubba is no longer in heart failure. A dog that was given 3 months to live and was taken in as a Fospice case, now has a new lease on life. He is on his last few days of meds, as he being weened off and he has a couple of check up appts with the vet and cardiologist coming up but things are looking up for this handsome boy.

Knowing everything he has been through and then watching him run and play in the backyard with that big goofy pittie smile(with supervision of course), just brings a huge smile to your face. It's almost like he is learning to be a dog again and a happy one at that. Bubba's story is an amazing one and just goes to show what the power of love can do for a dog!

Skye - 3/8/17

Name: Skye - 3 y/o

How long has Skye been in the family? 2 years

Family Members: Kimberly, Kyle & daughter Sera

Professions: Kimberly is the National Director of Talent Acquisition for Encompass Health & Kyle owns his own auto insurance claim business.

Location: Midtown Atlanta, GA

Nicknames: Skye-Butt- Skye-Head- Monkey Butt, Queen of Sheba, My Velcro

5 words/phrases that best describe Skye?

Lover
Skittish
Does not know personal space
Toy Destroyer
Beautiful
Snuggle-butt

What makes Skye unique? Beautiful blue eyes hence the name Skye ;) She loves me SO much! She is also extremely athletic. She can vertically leap 6 feet over a concrete wall, as demonstrated at her “Doggy Day Care”.

Rescue Story: My husband Kyle and I got married in 2011 and I came with a fur daughter and he came with a human daughter. I rescued my Pedigree Chocolate Cocker Spaniel when she was 3 years old. I did not know much about the breed –found out quickly about them—I loved Olive- but she was not a lover or cuddler—she snarled and barked like a big mean dog and she was only around 18lbs. I loved her, and Kyle learned to love her and her odd traits. She passed away quickly a month before her 15th birthday.
I work from home and the house became very quiet quickly. We as a family knew we wanted to adopt again. Olive did not shed and we looked at breeds that did not (I know they are all dogs, they shed ;)) We found Cheyenne (now Skye) at the East Alabama Humane Society in Phenix City, AL.—she was listed as a Basenji mix and made the cover of the 2016 Calendar! We drove to Phenix City on a Friday after work to meet her. The Humane Society picked her up from the shelter after she had puppies and they all died. So sad, but we immediately fell in love as she jumped right into my lap, and we brought her home to Midtown that very same day!
Soon after returning to Atlanta, I introduced her to her new playground, Piedmont Park. People would say, “oh what a cute pocket pittie”—at this time my husband and I were not aware of the breed—we did some research to find that is a slang term – and they are in fact known as American Staffordshire Terriers. We decided to do the Wisdom Panel test and she came back 50% Boxer/50% American Staffordshire terrier.
Bottom line—Skye is the second dog I have had as an adult. Olive my Cocker Spaniel was beautiful, but not a lover at all. Now here we have adopted a “pittie mix”, and as I am writing this she is snuggled up almost on top of me! I love our new family member almost to the point of obsession, and I’m not afraid to admit it either! I am hoping that people will start to realize that the word Pit Bull is not a bad word. NOT AT ALL! Rather, they are the most loving, and cuddly breed that our family has ever encountered.

What is your favorite pastime as a family? We have a boat and a place at the lake. We love taking Skye there as she is a 100% swimming fanatic. Skye also enjoys trips to the Morningside Nature Preserve to “take a dip” and what we call- trying to eat all the water. Living in Midtown is wonderful as it is so doggie friendly—she joins us for dinner at many patios during the warmer seasons.

What is life like since you rescued Skye? As my husband always reminds me, I always longed for a snuggle puppy and Skye is that doggie. I believe Skye found her perfect and forever family- we are both lucky!

Photographers Note: It's always such a pleasure to be able to photograph these wonderful pups in Piedmont Park, which is my pups backyard as well. I met up with Skye and her family on a Friday evening when the light was perfect. Discovered pretty quickly that she is not a fan of having a camera pointed at her and the ears were a little allusive in the beginning but once we allowed her to explore around the water a bit and she was distracted by the ducks, then they appeared!! And those eyes, I mean they are just amazing and a photographers dream. I would have to say this sweet little girl is definitely living the high life now.

Nani - 3/2/18

Name: Nani - 12 y/o

How long has Nani been in the family? 5 years

Family Members (2 families): Leisa & Jimmy, Liz, Brian & Lucas (14mths)

Location: Macon, GA.

Nicknames: Hippo

5 words/phrases that best describe Nani?

Survivor
Diva
Happy
Companion
Trusting

What makes Nani unique? Nani has the kind of personality that when you meet her she wins you over and changes your opinion of her breed. She is capable of bringing people together to fight for her cause and because of her the people remain close like family; for a lifetime.

Rescue Story: It was January 2013. I (Leisa) own a business in Macon, GA on San Carlos Blvd. The housing area near where my business is located is called “The Peach Orchard”. This area is a dumping ground for unwanted dogs most of them pregnant females. I feed several feral strays so they would not starve. Nani showed up one day and waited until all the others had eaten and left. Then with her tail between her legs she walked up to the bowl to see if anything was left. I never let any of the strays go hungry so when I saw her I refilled the bowl. You could tell she was pregnant because her belly hung low but her ribs still showed. At that time she did not have a name but the first picture we took of her she looked like a baby hippo. On January 21, 2013 she dragged her overly pregnant body onto our sidewalk to eat along with the other strays. She literally sucked her food down like a Hoover vacuum. Little did we know at the time, she had no teeth. She was so heavy with babies that she could just barely hold herself up. My friend (Chad) walked up to her and began to pet her, the look in her eyes told us her whole story. She had obviously been beaten, abused, overbred, underfed, neglected, forgotten, and abandoned. In those few seconds her eyes said, "Please help me" and "Please don't hurt me" all at the same time. Not knowing how she would react, Chad picked her up and carried her to a pen to await transport to the vet. She trusted him not to hurt her. To gain the trust of a stray animal (especially a pregnant stray animal that has been abused) is absolutely special. She was transported immediately to our vet in Perry, GA. They told us that she was at least 7 years old, heavily heartworm positive and that she had mastitis and a severe infection. The vet started her on antibiotics immediately and told us it would be a miracle if she made it thru the birth of her puppies. We needed to be prepared because if they had to do an emergency “C” section they would and all the puppies that survived would have to be bottle fed. Three days later on January 25, 2013, she gave birth to 13 puppies. If I remember correctly 10 survived and surprisingly so did she. A rescue stepped up and found a foster for her and the puppies. Thankfully she was able to nurse her puppies. The puppies were only a few days old when a heartworm exploded and Nani had to be rushed back to the vet. The puppies had to be bottle fed by the foster. The puppies were all put up for adoption by the rescue and they went quickly. Nani did not get adopted. When she had puppies she was very protective of them and she was leery of most people. The rescue decided she was un-adoptable and recommended putting her down. I was not about to let that happen so I decided to foster her myself until I could find her a home. So, I picked her up from the vet and she has been with me ever since. I was told she would not survive the heartworm treatment, she did. She had hip surgery, I was told she would not survive it, but she did. She had to have one of her eyes removed because it was dying; the vet said it looked like someone had poked a stick in her eye. I was told she would not survive, but she did. Her original foster (Liz) was very fond of her. She contacted me and we actually share Nani now. Sometimes Nani stays with me and sometimes she stays with Liz. Nani has brought both of our families together and we are very close. Nani was looked upon as a broken, un-adoptable, scary pit pull, but she is not. Nani is a survivor. She is a survivor from abuse, neglect, being over bred and under fed, with an unknown future. Then when she was old, sick and used up she was tossed out like garbage.

What is your favorite pastime as a family? Nani loves to chase tennis balls, but it has to be yellow.

What is life like since you rescued Nani? Life for Nani has never been better. She is loved, she is happy and she has two families that love her. Our lives are enriched beyond what I can explain. She has shown the world what love can do. She is much loved and returns it every day.

Photographers Note: Dogs like Nani amaze me. A dog that has been let down, abused and neglected by humans but yet still finds it in their hearts to forgive. Leisa mentioned Nani might take a little time to get use to me and trust me. (who can blame her). Pretty quickly, she was lumbering up to me while I sat on the ground and even gave me a sweet kiss. Whenever a dog with a history like Nani's allows me this sort of attention and trust, I am always honored. This is not a reflection on me, but a reflection on Nani and the type of resilient, good and trusting dog that she is. All she wants is to be loved.

To add to Nani's story, she was also asked to be in an Apoquel national infomercial. (as Leisa said to me, how often do you hear of a one-eyed fat pit bull being chosen for a national commerical) https://www.apoqueldogs.com/dog-owner-testimonials.aspx She also has some pretty loyal fans out there following her journey on her Facebook page (Nani Nelson-Hartley- if you would like to follow her). This girls celebrity status continues to grow. She definitely has another huge fan in me!

Cassie & Rascal - 3/2/18

Names: Cassie (11 y/o) & Rascal (8 y/o)

Family Members: Cleo, Andrew & Dwayne
5 more dogs: Snickers & Scooter (are brothers they are my bottle babies and they are 6 years old), Busy Bee & Myra (5 y/o) & Jack (2 y/o), & 4 cats: Gabby (17 y/o), Boots, Mittens & Hunter (all around 10 y/o) All rescues.

How long have Cassie & Rascal been in the family? Cassie has been in the family 10 years and Rascal 8 years.

Profession: Cleo - Office Administrator at Fred White Construction.

Location: Macon, GA.

Nicknames: Cassie: Cassie Coo

Rascal: Ruby Do (because he is a Jewel of a dog)

5 words/phrases that best describe Cassie & Rascal:

Cassie:

Beautiful - white with green eyes and white eye lashes.
Intelligent - capable of opening a baby/pet gate that most people cannot open.
Loving - Cassie is a very affection girl, she loves all people and dogs.
Survivor - She is a cancer survivor.
Loyal Service dog - Cassie has trained herself to be my husband's service dog. Andrew cannot speak so she speaks for him. She stays by his side and looks after him.

Rascal:

Faithful - Brown and White with beautiful brown soul searching eyes
Intelligent - passed first in his class during puppy training
Loyal & Devoted companion - Rascal is always by my side. He is always in the same room with me when I am home, if I am outside so is he. He sleeps with me at night. Rascal can be depended on to go anywhere with me at the drop of a hat. He does not care where he goes or how long it takes as long as he is with me.
Loving - Rascal is one of the most loving dogs I have. He is very affectionate and he is always there when I need someone to talk to and let me cry in his fur when I need it.
Nanny Dog - I foster puppies and Rascal is the best Nanny dog ever. He lets them climb all over him and he never gets cross with them. He teaches them how to potty outside and play with toys. He lets them pull on his ears and bite his tail. Rascal gets very excited when I bring fosters home. He will set outside their pen and let them get use to him for hours if necessary making sure they are not afraid of him.

What makes Cassie & Rascal unique? Cassie has taught me to always listen to my dogs. Cassie is dedicated to my husband. If there is anything wrong she notifies me right away. Andrew is on coumadin. One day I was working in the backyard and she came outside. She ran to me and was barking furiously and then headed back to the house. I thought this was odd because she can open the back door going both in and out. When I got to the back door, I opened it and let her inside. She ran inside and I went back to work in the yard. She came back outside and did the same thing. I went to the back door and let her in again and went back to work in the yard. When she did this the third time I went inside with her. She ran straight to Andrew’s room and that is when I realized that she was trying to tell me that Andrew had cut himself and was bleeding and needed help. That is when I decided that you should always listen to your dog. When he gets up in the middle of the night she wakes me up to let me know. If he gets up off the bed and goes to the other room she clears all the other dogs out of his path and announcing he is coming by barking. I put up a pet gate to keep the dogs out of Andrew’s room so that he will not trip and fall. Cassie refuses to be away from him, she knows how to open the pet gate.

Rascal is a big 80 pound marshmallow. His love and affection never ends. He is dedicated to me and he is one of the best representatives of his breed there is. He loves to have his head, ears and neck rubbed and he lets you know when he is content by a long soft sigh. Rascal loves puppies and he is wonderful with kids. Rascal has never met a stranger. He was put through puppy training and he still knows all his commands.

Rescue Stories: Cassie was left abandoned tied to a dog house in the backyard of my son’s neighbor. They just moved off and left her. My son (Anthony) noticed that the house was empty and she was still there. He watered her and feed her for two weeks waiting for them to come back for her. Her dog house had a hole in the roof and when it rained she got soaked through and through. After two weeks he climbed over the fence and got her and brought her to me. At the time I did not have any dogs. My last dog had died Thanksgiving that year and my house seemed very empty. Cassie had every kind of internal parasite that you can name and she was also covered in fleas. Her fur was missing in several places and her pink skin was showing. Cassie was skin and bones. Anthony (my son) brought her to my house and put her in my backyard. We bought her a dog house and her vetting was started immediately. Cassie thought she hated cats and I had four. But it did not take Cassie long to learn that if she wanted to be a house dog, then she would have to learn to love the cats. Cassie very much wanted to be a house dog and she made the transition in record time. Within weeks of my having Cassie she was spayed. Cassie was only 8 months old when she was rescued.

Rascal was rescued straight off the streets of Macon, GA. Where he was running down the middle of the road, he was searching for food. A friend of mine (Leisa) rushed out and picked him up. Since I was a puppy foster she brought him to me. Rascal was only six weeks old, he had fleas on him bigger than he was and an extremely bloated belly full of worms. I washed him three times in the sink at work trying to get as many fleas off of him as I could before I took him home. Rascal was vetted and put up for adoption. I took him to an adoption event in Macon. Georgia and a young lady fell in love with him and another puppy. She put in an application for his adoption and I was waiting on the home check and the adoption application to be approved. Until approval of the application he was to stay with me. I cried all the way home and all night long because he was being adopted. A few days later I got an email and said that the adoption was approved but they had decided on the lab puppy. I cried again, this time for sheer joy, because Rascal never attended another adoption event. I kept him.

Rascal just pulled off the streets. (no "before" photo of Cassie available)

What is your favorite pastime as a family? Cassie loves to sit in the swing in the front yard. Her place is next to my husband. If anyone tries to sit next to him she wedges herself between them. While Rascal loves to go. He jumps up and down at the sight of his collar and lead. His head pops up and he runs for the door if you say, "you want to go with mommy." Rascal does not care if it is around the block, to the vet or to pick up fast food. He loves to go.

What is life like since you rescued Cassie & Rascal? Cassie has had cancer and it was malignant. We were told that it would most likely return. Cassie had another lump show up on her side a few years later. I took her back to the vet and they said it was most likely cancer again and so I agreed to let them do surgery on her again. This time it turned out to be something called internal skin tags and it was not malignant. Cassie now has lumps and bumps on her everywhere and due to her age we will not be doing another surgery. Even with all that, Cassie's life changed 100% for the better the day she was rescued. She is loved, she is happy, she has never been thirsty or hungry again, she does not have to go out in the rain and she has a roof over her head.

Rascal's life changed from street stray to living the life of luxury in my home. He has never been hungry or thirsty again and he is one of the most loving, laid back dogs on this earth. Rascal has been my rock many times, we have shared lots of secrets and heart breaks. Rascal sleeps with me on my bed at night, he makes an excellent dog blanket. I am not sure with Rascal who rescued who.

Photographers Note: Cassie and Rascal were the 2nd family of the Macon 3 trip! Their Mom was the planner and organizer for it all. She helped me a ton on getting everyone's stories and coordinating times and location. Then bonus, I got to meet and photograph two of her babies! Rascal and Cassie were so funny during the shoot. Cassie, not the most cooperative or a fan of the camera; but with each treat she warmed to the idea. Then there is Rascal who would pose every which way to be sure I got his best side.

Cassie's self designation as Andrew's (not pictured) service dog is just an amazing story. This sweet pup knows her job and does it well. The more stories we collect for this project, with the unique traits of these pups really does support the fact that every dog is an individual.

Patch & Moses - 3/2/18

Names: Patch (13 y/o) & Moses (8 y/o)

How long have Patch & Moses been in the family? Patch - 12 years & Moses - 3 years

Family Members: Bobby, 4-legged Family: Millie - Female dog (8 y/o), Callie - Female dog (8 y/o), Molly - Female dog (3 y/o), Miz Daisy - Female dog (5 y/o) & Ziggy - male cat (4 y/o)

Profession: Truck Driver

Location: Macon, GA.

Nicknames: Patch: N/A

Moses: Red

5 words/phrases that best describe Patch & Moses?

Patch:

Great Personality - to know him is to love him
Intelligent - Patch is smart on his own. He lets me know what he wants.
Loyal - He will guard me and if someone is getting to close he will come between me and them.
Sings - When I play my harmonica he sings along.
Popular - He is so sweet, people come by to see him not me.

Moses:

Beautiful - Red nose, gold eyes with beautiful red fur.
Intelligent - he came from the streets and is street smart.
Loyal - He is always there for me even when I am in a bad mood.
Loving - Moses loves to give love and be loved.
Spoiled - Moses enjoys being a house dog, he loves his bed and his couch.

What makes Patch & Moses unique? Patch is a reincarnated human. He seems to know what I am telling him. While Moses sweetness towards people and other animals is what makes him unique.

Rescue Stories: I bought a piece of land in early 2000. Found that people were dumping dogs there so I started feeding them. One Saturday I heard one eating and I walked around the shed and saw Patch, nothing but a bag of bones with one of his eyes hanging out of his head. It was late Saturday evening and I stressed all weekend about his condition. I skipped work on Monday, went and got him. I took him to the vet and they removed his eye. When he was ready to leave I brought him home with me and here he still is. He was around 7 months old at the time. I named him Patch because he only had one eye.

Moses and his running mate Millie had a litter of puppies under an abandoned house on Fulton Street in Macon, GA. I was running my truck route and caught a glimpse of them out of the corner of my eye. I started feeding them and at first they were too scared to let me near them but would eat after I left. I never gave up and after a while of sitting and talking to them softly; both he and Millie came to me. The puppies disappeared, all but one and I am not sure what happened to that one. Moses and Millie were in bad shape. I decided to take them to the vet and get them treated for worms, fleas, shots, etc. They were both skin and bones, plus Moses had an injury to his chest. I spent over $600.00 on them. It turned out that Moses had been shot and he had to have surgery on his chest to remove broken shattered chest and rib bones. I had Millie spayed and Moses neutered. So, no more puppies for them. I had no place for them to go so I released them back to the streets where I could continue taking care of them while I found a place for them. Before I could get anything worked out they went missing. I went to the Macon pound and sure enough there they were. I bailed them out of doggie jail took them home with me and they have been with me ever since and here with me is where they will live out the rest of their lives as spoiled rotten house dogs. I wasn’t about to take any more chances of them being picked up by the pound. Moses has had to have surgery on his chest three times to get all the shattered bones out, the last one in 2017. He has scars all over his chest, but he is still beautiful to me. I love them both.

Moses before his forever home. (no before photo of Patch available)

What is your favorite pastime as a family? Patch loves to ride and he would chase me down in my tow truck. I pulled over and he jumped on to the back of my truck and from that point on he would jump on the back if I wanted him or not. He rode in the back of the truck like he was in a parade and people would remark on how beautiful he was.

Moses loves to get out of the fence and explore. I let him go but keep my eye on him and just let him have fun. There is a lake near where I live and he loves to chase the ducks. Moses loves to sit close to me while I watch TV.

What is life like since you adopted/saved Patch & Moses? Patch is great. He has made my life happier. Now he is old and I hope he lives a lot longer than his 13 years.

Moses lived on the streets for a long time, he was hungry and thirsty; until I found him he had to scavenge for anything he needed. He slept under an abandoned house and human contact was something he feared. It took me a while to win Moses over but when he learned I could be trusted he put his whole life in my hands. He trusts me completely. Moses makes me happy, he brings peace and tranquility to my life. Moses is my best friend.

Photographers Note: These two sweet pups definitely had tough starts to their lives, but it would appear they made the right choice in crossing Bobby's path. They live in a home with many 4 legged siblings and a person that loves them to pieces. Patch is an older gentlemen now (almost 14), with some health issues, but he is as sweet and happy as could be. Moses with his beautiful coloring and golden eyes, was a little shy at first but after a bit of time warmed up to me, unless I was pointing the camera at him...that he wasn't so thrilled about. Both of these pups have the marks of age and a tough life but it takes special people like Bobby, to see beyond that and just see family.

Kayla Sue - 2/18/18

Name: Kayla Sue - 2 y/o

How long has Kayla Sue been in the family? 7 months

Family Members: Becky & Leo, Kaylee (25 year old horse), Liberty Belle (2 year old Shepherd Mix-sister & BFF)

Professions: Becky: Occupational Therapist, Leo: Director of Operations/Management

Location: Canton, GA.

Nicknames: Sue-Sue, Cuddle Boo, Cuddle/Cuddly Sue, Chunk Sue

5 words/phrases that best describe Kayla Sue?

Shy- A cuddler once she warms up
Sweet
She loves (so much!)
Such a Good Girl
Heart of Gold

What makes Kayla Sue unique? An introvert and follower by nature, Kayla is a bit on the shy side. She has really warmed up and come out of her shell with us, and is the perfect blend of play and calm for her high energy sister, and us. She loves being with her pack (humans and dog), and has a heart as big as her big brown soulful eyes.

Rescue Story: Our nearly 15 year old lab, Polly crossed the rainbow bridge early in May of 2017. After which, our 1.5 year old Liberty became an only dog. She spent plenty of time in daycare, but after always being a 2 dog household we were all feeling that there was a gap. We rescued Liberty from a local humane society, and knew our next dog needed to be a rescue. After some searching, we first met Kayla at an adoption event through Barktown Rescue and Sanctuary. After which, Kayla, Liberty, ourselves, and Kayla’s foster parents met a few times, and we just could see how great of a fit Kayla was for both of us and her new sister Liberty. The overnight visit in July of 2017, turned into an adoption, and we just fell in love with our girl. From what we know of Kayla’s story via Barktown/fosters: in December of 2016 Barktown Rescue pulled her from Douglas County Animal Shelter. Kayla was extremely fearful, emaciated in need of surgery for a leg abscess. As a result of Barktown Rescue and foster families stepping up (Katie, Robin & Roy); Kayla had patient, loving foster homes which we are so thankful for, without them, we wouldn’t have our Kayla Sue.

Kayla ready to head to her forever home.

What is your favorite pastime as a family? We just love our girls. We love taking walks together, playing in the yard, lounging around the house, going for rides. Just being together brings us such joy. Kayla loves to snuggle up in her cozy spots near her family.

What is life like since you rescued Kayla Sue? It is likely, according to the Barktown posts, that Kayla would not have made it much longer on her own as sick and thin as she was. As a result of a Rescue group and foster families taking a chance on Kayla Sue, she now has the joy of being a dog. Which is a win-win for both us and her. For us, there’s far few better than our dogs in this world; and Kayla is one of our dogs.

Kayla and her BFF/Sister Liberty enjoying some shade time.

Photographers Note: Kayla Sue is just a gorgeous dog and it took all my will power not to want to get on the ground and love on her immediately. I was told she is shy with strangers at first and needs some time to warm up. So Rebekah, Kayla and I went for a little walk around their neighborhood, so she could get use to me. We could tell she still wasn't so sure, so we started with taking photos of her in her yard and I was just outside the fence, which worked great. It was a warm day, so with that and her not being sure about me, she spent a lot of time in the shade (a ways from the fence) with her favorite toy. As time passed, she was playing closer and closer to were I was standing and by the time I was getting ready to leave she was showing off right in front of me and coming right up to me at the fence. Sometimes a girl, just needs a little time to trust.

Something really beautiful about this pup, that I didn't notice until I started to go through the photos are her eyes. Her eyes are so dark and clear, that they provide a perfect reflection of whatever she is looking at on a clear sunny day. It took me a second to realize what I was seeing in many of the photos was the fence line where I was standing. As her Mom said, very soulful and reflective!

Lacey Mae - 1/27/18

Name: Lacey Mae - 3.5 y/o

How long has Lacey Mae been in the family? around 2.5 years

Family Members: Rachael (Mom), Jim (her papa), Merritt (her Gigi), Remington (horse), Zoraka (horse), Memphis Reins (horse), and Lily (cat).

Profession: Account Coordinator

Location: Auburn, GA

Nicknames: Mae, Mae Mae, Itty Bitty Pretty Pitty, Wiggle butt, & Ears.

5 of the best words/phrases that describe Lacey Mae?

Pure
Gentle
Happy
Once in a lifetime (I have never met such a pure and beautiful soul in my lifetime of owning animals, and I know that there will never be another dog as special as she is.)
Forgiving (I put this because despite what she went through she is still capable of loving every person and animal she meets.)

What makes Lacey Mae unique? She has the capability of touching every person’s soul she meets. She can get people, who are absolutely terrified of dogs to pet her; she can get kids who don’t speak to speak to her, and she can get animals who don’t like other animals to play with her. She is truly an amazing soul who has done so much healing and saving in her young years.

Rescue Story: I had lost my Doberman a few months prior to getting Lacey Mae. After losing my Doberman, life just was not the same without having a wet nose to greet you every time you came home and every morning when you wake up. I tried convincing my family that I needed a dog, and they told me that I could look but that if I got one, it would be a 100% my responsibility. So, I went to the Gwinnett County Shelter one day, to just look, and there she was in the corner of the kennel, trembling. We went into the waiting area to meet, and she just sat in the corner shaking and scared. At this point, the worker decided to tell me her back story. She had been chained outside and never been in a home, she had been starved and beat and then was a stray for some time before they could finally catch her. This broke my heart but she wasn’t the least bit interested in me. So we put her back in the kennel and I looked at a few other dogs, but for some reason this little white dog kept coming to mind. So I asked to see her again. Again we sat, but this time was different; she looked at me, and then walked over to me and put her head in my hands and looked up. The worker said she had been there for months and no one had any interest in her, and she was on the list for Friday. I couldn’t imagine this helpless creature being put to sleep without someone giving her a chance. So, I filled out all the paperwork and decided I would tell my parents later. Mind you, I was supposed to be picking my dad up from the doctors, but I had to make sure I had all the paperwork filled out. It was the longest two days ever, but when I went to pick this sweet baby up, she recognized me and her butt just started wiggling. Since she had never been in a house before, the first three days were horrible. She refused to walk or eat or anything, so I had to carry her everywhere and we didn’t sleep at all. I thought to myself I had made a mistake because she didn’t seem like she was connecting with me at all. Then, that Monday I went to work and my mother sent me a video of Lacey running to each door and howling for me. That was when I knew she loved me and that we were going to be fine with just a little time. Now, after 2.5 years, she is the world’s biggest social butterfly who LOVES everyone she meets. I am so thankful that I found her. She saved my life and continues to save me every single day.

First day home, first dog bed...needed to work out the kinks a bit.

What is your favorite pastime as a family? Every single year we throw her a birthday party and invite all our neighbors and their pets over to enjoy a doggy pool, some goody bags, puppy cake, and of course alcohol for the adults. The dogs wear birthday hats, run around, and play. Lacey Mae gets gifts which she absolutely loves opening. I know we all look forward to this every year because we love bringing Lacey so much joy after all the happiness she has brought our family.

Lacey and her best friend Queso at the party!

What is life like since you rescued Lacey Mae? There has never been a dull moment or day since we found each other. Any time either of us are sick or hurting, we never leave each other’s side. She is my best friend, and the best thing that has ever happened to me. She handles any obstacle like a champ. She has to see a dermatologist monthly because she is allergic to basically everything outside but even when she was suffering, she still kept her goofy smile on her face. She is the best, most pure, soul I have ever met and she has forever changed my family and everyone she meets.

Photographers Note: I met up with Rachael, Lacey and her Mom at Little Mulberry Park in Dacula. It was kind of a gloomy day and we had our fingers crossed it wasn't going to rain on on us. As soon as I got out of the car and saw this beautiful pup with THE most fantastic ears, the clouds didn't matter. She is just all sunshine! So happy and excited, wanting to meet and great any person or pup that happen to be near by. On top of that sunny personality, Rachael and her Mom start telling me stories about what an absolute gentle and sweet soul she is. Including the story of Lacey saving some baby birds that had fallen out of their nest. She picked each one up in her mouth and brought them to Rachael. There are not a lot of dogs out there what would do that.

Lacey and Rachael are also another great example of giving a shelter dog a chance. So many people don't want to adopt from shelters because they think the dogs there are broken, which is so far from the truth. Many have been through traumatic experiences and then to be put into a loud shelter just adds to that trauma. They just need love, patience and a little time to decompress, exactly what Rachael gave Lacey and look at them now!

Margaret Jones - 1/26/18

Name: Margaret Jones - 3.5 y/o

How long as Margaret been in the family? 7 months

Family Members: Noel & Ken

Profession: Noel – Retired School Teacher; Ken – Retired Attorney

Location: Atlanta, GA

Nicknames: Margy, Margit

5 of the best words/phrases that describe Margaret?

Loyal
Caring (Loving)
Obedient
Smart
Athletic

What makes Margaret unique? Her love of road trips and she helps with wine selections at Total Wine.

The cutest little turned up nose you have ever seen!

Rescue Story: We had visited many shelters. Katy at DeKalb Animal Shelter found Margaret. Margaret had a checkered past. She had been impounded at least twice and last time she was returned by a new owner after one week. Lots of rejection in dear Margaret's life. We think she was a street roamer, waiting to be picked up by Animal Control. Our Story: We visited the animal shelter (DeKalb) twice and took her out for a trial; then home. She was perfect and we knew it; obedient and helpful. She is an AKC Good Citizen. She helped me (Ken) recover from a serious illness.

Margaret taking her freedom ride to her forever home.

What is your favorite pastime as a family? We all love road trips!! And, we love taking long walks daily; each one about 5 miles.

What is life like since you rescued Margaret? Wonderful !!! She is a dynamic and meaningful member of our family. We love her dearly.

Photographers Note: From the moment I walked in the door, I just fell in love with this sweet girl. ( I feel like I say that a lot, but wouldn't you too?) As I was chatting with Ken and Noel, she was right at my feet looking for some attention. Noel commented, 'It's as if she knows you are here for her". Between her adorable short, stocky frame and that sweet up-turned nose, how could you not just adore this pup. Don't let her grumpy expressions fool you, this is a very happy girl. She may have had a tough past but she has hit the jackpot with Ken and Noel. They sung her praises and called her perfect I don't know how many times. The bond is so strong between the 3 of them in such a short time, it's really a wonderful thing to see.

What I love most about this story (besides adorable Margaret) is that Ken and Noel don't represent what society/media may deem the typical pit bull owner and I don't just mean the negative stereotype's of the past. I love that this wonderful couple saw how special Margaret was, looked beyond stereotypes and chose her for the individual that she is. Clearly she was just waiting for this family, one that gives her the love and structure she needs.

Ralphie - 12/30/17

Name: Ralphie - 7 y/o

How long has Ralphie been in the family? 3 years (gotcha day is 12/15)

Family Members: Macie, Ralphie's Grandparents: Ellen & George, Brother/Uncle - Alec (19 yo), Mama Kitty (cat; 11 yo), and Puddin (cat; 10 yo)

Profession: I’m a student. I just finished my undergrad and am waiting to go to vet school next fall. In the meantime, I work as a vet assistant.

Location: Sugar Hill, GA

Nicknames: Ralph, Ralphington, Boopie doo, Bubby

5 of the best words/phrases that describe Ralphie?

Loyal
Patient
Goofy
Smart
Special

What makes Ralphie unique? Ralphie likes to rub his head on the floor while keeping his bottom as high in the air as possible. He’ll do this in the grass and slide down our front yard in the same position.

Rescue Story: Ralphie was dropped off for boarding at an animal hospital when he was 1.5 years old, and his owner never picked him up. He became the guard dog there, and lived in the kennel for 3 years. I really bonded with him the summer before starting college, and ended up adopting him in December 2014 as my emotional support animal.

What is your favorite pastime as a family? We love taking him hiking, especially when I was at school and had access to a lot of trails. At home, we enjoy watching him get the zoomies in the creek behind our house.

What is life like since you rescued Ralphie? I think rescuing Ralphie was the best thing to ever happen to either of us. We are with each other all the time, and he finally understands that he has a home where he is safe and loved. As my emotional support animal, we started pet friendly housing at my college, and I wouldn’t have been able to graduate without him. He helps me with social anxiety and depression, so it’s great to get out of the house to walk him. He helps me meet people and gives me confidence because I know he’ll always love me. Ralphie has been an absolute light in my life. Here’s the Facebook post I made about our journey after I finished school. (click on Facebook Post)

Photographers Note: First things first, having a volunteer named Ralphie just 5 days after Christmas and after having watched A Christmas Story no less then 10 times...it was definitely a well timed photo shoot. (and his Gotcha photo is with Santa..HELLO!!)

When I arrived at Macie and Ralphie's home, the first thing Macie's Mom said to me was this story is about them. Macie rescued him and she trained him, it's all about them. After spending just a couple minutes with this pair, I couldn't agree more. You can just see the special bond between them; Ralphie is all about Macie! He greeted me as any good gentlemen would but for the most part he was looking to his Mom for direction and attention. (he is very well trained). He even had the opportunity to show me around his extended backyard which included a creek that he wanted to slop around in a bit. As luck would have it, I even captured his signature/unique move which I posted on our Facebook and Instagram pages as an outtake and didn't even know that was his thing! If you want to follow more of Ralphie's adventures you can find him on Instagram @ravi_ralphie. I personally can't wait to see his adventures at Vet School!

Ovie - 12/26/17

Name: Ovie (Ah-vee) - 3 y/o

How long has Ovie been in the family? 5 months

Family Members: Moms: Susan and Ellen; dog brother: Soy Sauce

Profession: Susan is a Digital Product Manager at SunTrust. Ellen is a Lab Architect at HOK.

Location: Avondale Estates, GA

Nicknames: Chunk a Dunk

5 of the best words/phrases that describe Ovie?

Confident!
Swagger
CHUNK
Antler Hoarder
Nibbler

What makes Ovie unique? Ovie’s looks are certainly unique. From the moment we saw her picture on the Angels Among Us rescue site we were in love with her stocky body, short little legs, and sweet freckled nose. From Ovie’s rescue pics we thought she was around 30-40 lbs but were shocked to find out that she was 58 lbs. It makes for a great swagger when she walks down the street.

Rescue Story: We lost our 15 year old pug, Pippi in November 2016 and then lost our 8 year old boxer mix, Kate in June 2017 to lymphoma. After Pippi passed we had gone to PAWS to get another dog and brought home Soy Sauce who is an Australian Cattle Dog mix. He is a fearful dog who had bonded with his sister Kate so when she passed we knew we wanted another dog but decided to take some time to focus on training Soy Sauce and building up his confidence. I saw Ovie’s picture one day on the Angels Among Us Facebook feed and showed it to Ellen. We instantly agreed that we wanted to put in an adoption application for her because we had been looking at pit mixes previously but found that most were too big for our small home. When we met her we knew that she had the confidence we needed to help center Soy Sauce and a feisty but lovable nature that we missed after losing our pug. By looking through her adoption papers we found that Ovie had been in and out of Fulton County Animal Shelter within a 6 month period and it was obvious based on her weight, skin, and ears that she had not been properly cared for. We put her on a limited ingredient diet; followed up on all the medications, ointments, sprays and shampoos for her skin and ears; and she gets a vigorous walk once a day and she is doing great!

What is your favorite pastime as a family? Ovie would prefer if we sat with her on the couch all day with a toy, deer antler, and blanket at her disposal but we do manage to get her to sit in the sun on our deck while we garden. She just likes to be where we are.

What is life like since you rescued Ovie? We spend a lot of time oohing and aaahing about how cute Ovie is. Her big yawns, her rough kisses, how she nibbles blankets and pillows, how she swaggers when she walks down the street – all of those things are so much fun to discover when you get a new dog. We also have to keep an eye on her because she will get into her brother’s food bowl if he leaves scraps or will try to climb a very steep set of stairs we know she can’t get back down on her own. She is very determined to have things her way but we love that about her.

Photographers Note: The moment that Susan lifted Ovie out of their car, my heart skipped a beat. I mean how can you not fall in love with this girl immediately. If it's not her short legs and stocky sausage body, complete with roles around her back legs when she sits, then it's that adorable grumpy facial expression, with the sweetest little markings on her nose that look like cookie cutter cut outs (one is shaped like a star) that will have you scrambling to join Ovie's fan club. This girl is one of a kind and she hit the jackpot in her new home.

One of the many reasons I love this project is because the term pit bull is generally not in reference to one specific breed. It's used by many as a categorization of physical traits that these dogs have. So what that means for me, is that I get to meet so many truly unique pups who may or may not have big blocky heads, big wide smiles, or a muscular build! Ultimately all that really matters, is that these pups are loved and happy family members and I get to sit behind my lense and bask in their adorable looks, whatever those may be.