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Olly - 10/7/18

Name: Olly - 1-ish y/o

Family Member: Amber

How long has Olly been in the family? Since November 2017

Profession: Marketing/Photography

Location: Atlanta – O4W/Inman Park area

Nicknames: Olly Oop, Ooper, Ooper Pooper, Peanut, Peanut Butter, Little Girl, Ollygator, Olly Olly Oxen Free

5 words/phrases that best describe Olly?

Joyful
Playful
Loving
Curious

What makes Olly unique? She genuinely loves everyone she meets, I rescued her at 4 months old, while I do not know her life before me I can tell she did not experience much trauma. She is fearless in love and life!

Rescue Story: I rescued a grown male pit in college and he was the most perfect dog I had ever known. 6 years later I lost him to liver cancer and it crushed me. I fostered a sick Pit right after his death but I was not quite ready for another one yet. I follow all Pit bull rescues and most all dog rescues in Atlanta and would see dogs posted daily that I knew I could love but it didn’t feel like the time. A year and a half after Major died I finally went into Fulton County Animal Services to meet an older male that reminded me a lot of Major. After 20 minutes outside alone together he still couldn’t have cared any less about me. I brought him back inside and in the crate next to him was Olly – trying her absolute hardest to get my attention. It took me a year and half to go back into a shelter and Olly hadn’t even been there 24 hours… we absolutely found each other.

What is your favorite pastime as a family? I’m one of those dog people that take my dog anywhere allowed, so I’d say our favorite past time is exploring and doing everything together. She’s really well behaved in public and happy to meet everyone. As far as a ritual, Olly and I live really close to Freedom Barkway and visit a few times a day. Recently I’ve started to volunteer with the Barkway Board. She loves to play fetch. Since she likes to pick the dirtiest possible ball I’ve started kicking the ball instead of throwing it. Recently we created a game where she drops the ball at the top of the hill, sits patiently as it rolls down to me, I kick it and she runs to retrieve it - we do it all again for as long as I’ll allow! She also loves the Beltline and hiking.

What is life like since you rescued Olly? Life has been a complete adventure with Olly! As a young professional who lives alone it has been quite interesting raising a puppy. In less than a year together we’ve experienced everything from emergency surgery to long hikes and training milestones! Most of my time not at work is spent with Olly - running, playing fetch, hiking, finding new trails around Atlanta, exploring our neighborhood, and finding all the pup-friendly patios in Atlanta!

Photographers Notes: This beautiful pup made quick work of our time together! I met them at the front gate to their apartment complex. She ran up to greet me and then went running to the back yard, as if she wanted to show me her home. She was happy to chase the ball or just as happy to lay in the grass posing for the camera. With that beautiful coat and those adorable ears, I could have easily been there for much longer just snapping photo after photo! Such a sweet girl!

Domino - 9/29/18

Name: Domino - about 2 y/o

Family Members: Kasey

How long has Domino been in the family? 6 weeks

Profession: Executive Producer’s Assistant in the Film Industry

Location: Atlanta, GA. (East Lake)

Nicknames: Dom

5 words/phrases that best describe Domino?

Happy
Beautiful
Adoring
Loyal
Eager to please

What makes Domino unique? Domino truly feels like the best human friend in dog form. Someone said she was like a lovely person reincarnated as a dog and I believe that is a great description of her personality. I have never seen so many people be touched by an animal’s story. Even just through photos people have told me that they can just tell she is a special dog and that we were meant to find each other.

Rescue Story: Some friends of mine found her running loose and dodging cars in their neighborhood. They were able to get her to come to them and put her in the safety of their fenced yard. My friend was pregnant and already had a senior dog and a cat that weren’t so keen on the idea of another new addition to the family. My friend tagged me in a Facebook post about her because I had taken in 2 stray pits before and found forever homes for them. This pup was dirty, flea infested and in heat so I made some little period panties for her out of a pair of my old tights. We took her to the vet to see if she was chipped and she wasn’t, so I took her home and gave her a bath and treated her for fleas. We made flyers and posted them all over the shelters, vets, pet stores and social media. No one came looking for her so we determined that she had been bred and then dumped.

I started looking for a new family for her, but the more time I spent with her, the more I fell head over heels in love and decided to keep her. She is really easy and already housebroken, crate trained, knew commands, is good off leash and friendly with other dogs. I named her Domino because of her black and white markings and freckles. I am currently in between film jobs and wanted to help her but was worried about being able to cover the expenses of her vaccinations and spay, but my friends were so moved by her story they stepped up and raised some funds. Lifeline, a wonderful organization, covered her spay, rabies shot and second round of vaccinations. I am so grateful to have such amazing friends and resources here in Atlanta.

What is your favorite pastime as a family? She is such a sweetheart so I really love snuggling with her in the bed but also love taking walks on my property together.

What is life like since you rescued Domino? Domino really blindsided me but has brought so much joy and fulfillment to my life and enriched it in ways I never could have imagined or expected. I was pretty dead set on not being emotionally or financially ready for another dog yet (I had to say goodbye to my 15 year old Weimaraner a few years ago) but sometimes the universe just sends you what you need even if you don’t know it yet. She stole my heart; from the streets to the sheets! We saved each other. My goal is to get her certified to be a therapy dog so we can visit hospitals and nursing homes so we can keep sharing the love.

Photographers Notes: I have to agree with Kasey, Domino is a pretty special dog. If I had walked up and not known her story, I would have assumed these two had been together for a long time, not just a few weeks. She is so well behaved and tuned into where her Mom is at all times, even when she is roaming and playing on the beautiful property where she lives. She is also just pure joy and sunshine. Her personality is just happy, happy, happy and clearly loves everyone. She even didn’t want me to leave when it was time to say goodbye, after just 40m! It is impossible not to smile the entire time you are with this beautiful petite girl. I mean her Mom even wore a vintage domino jacket for their photo’s, how perfect is that? These two are definitely meant to be together and no matter where she was before, Domino is now truly home.

Piper & Raelynn - 9/15/18

Name: Piper (3 y/o in June) & Raelynn (2.5 y/o)

Family Members: Mom’s: Melissa & Angela Fur siblings: Lexi, Jax, & Graycie

How long have Piper & Raelynn been in the family? Piper for 2.5 years. Raelynn became our foster July 14th, 2016 and was officially adopted May 3rd, 2017.

Professions: Melissa is a corporate lawyer for Suntrust Bank. Angela is a research chemist at the Center for Disease Control. The are also owners of 5 Dog Design Boutique , a pet collar company that donates part of it’s profits to animal rescue.

Location: Smyrna, GA

Nicknames: Piper: Stinky Puppy, Piper Princess, Pouty Piper Lip, Princess Piggy, Piper Pig

Raelynn: Kermit, Brown Cow, Dumb Dumb, Rae, Rae-Rae

5 words/phrases that best describe Piper & Raelynn?

Piper

Terrorist
Pouty
Loyal
Beautiful
Spastic

Raelynn:

Cuddle Monster
Dumb
Sweet
Dumb :)
Lover

What makes Piper & Raelynn unique? Piper truly enjoys affection. You can see her ask for it and relish the time she gets it. She is one of the most affectionate dogs with her mom. Raelynn has an annoying and super sweet trait. She loves to cuddle but it is more of a cover you entirely and become dead weight kind of thing. The more you press against her to move her the more of a dead weight she becomes. Moving her or getting her off of you takes a lot of strength and patience.

Rescue Story: Piper was part of a litter of puppies rescued by You Lucky Dog Rescue. There were 9 of them picked up in Bartow county. A few days after rescue they all got extremely sick with Parvo. 2 of the litter didn’t make it and Piper was next in line to succumb to the disease. The rescue moved her to Rose Animal Hospital to give her a fighting chance. She made it and sat in boarding looking for a foster for 2.5 months. We fostered her sister, and our best friends fostered her brother (who are fostering again after a return). After her sister was adopted we agreed to bring her in to our home. I picked her up from one of the volunteers of the rescue in the Home Depot parking lot and as soon as she pulled her out of the car I said to Karen…my wife isn’t going to let this one go. Little did I know that the bond and connection this little terrorist would have with my wife. The bond is unmistakable and is unbreakable. I feed her, walk her, discipline her and play with her…but she will pick Melissa any day of the week. We foster failed with her after 3 weeks. In the first 6 weeks she was with us she was being raised with our Elderbull Belle. She loved her and vice versa. We lost Belle in November right before her 11th birthday to cancer. We were always grateful for the time they had together because we are positive it made Piper a better puppy.

RaeLynn was posted on Fulton County Lifeline’s urgent dog list. She was adopted out and returned 4 days later. The adopters claimed that she had seizures. The staff at the shelter said she was in the medical ward with no signs of seizures, but she had become depressed and listless. We were looking for our next foster when we saw her and I fell in love with her sweet face. I asked Kim at BarkTown Dog Rescue and Sanctuary if she would pull her for us. She came out of Fulton sick. Started as kennel cough and progressed to an URI. So for the first month in our house she was just sick and then all of a sudden she wasn’t, and we got to see RaeLynn grow. Her personality started to come out and she started to grow and gain muscle. She is the best friend of every dog in the house. They all love her and seek her out for playtime and cuddles. She has never once in the last 2 years had any signs of seizures. We had her as a foster for 8 months. She had a few applications that didn’t work out. She got a good one and I (Angela) was so depressed at the thought of her leaving our house even though we at the time were at 6 dogs (4 perm and 2 fosters). I, Angela, asked for nothing but her for my birthday and my wife delivered. She became a permanent pack member on May 3rd, 2017. It was a good thing too because we started a dog collar company called 5 Dog Designs so she kind of needed to stay!

What is your favorite pastime as a family? Piper loves to play fetch, tug-of-war, and she loves to hike. We enjoy her each and every day. She is our little terrorist and she is a bit crazy but man she is an amazing dog.

RaeLynn is amazing on leash. I love to take her hiking, or just walking. Her and her Pit Bull mix siblings love to play fetch together. We call the 3 Pit mixes in the house the 3 Terrorist because they do everything together, which mostly includes trouble.

What is life like since you rescued Piper & Raelynn? For Piper, the answer is different according to which human you ask. Melissa would say her life became better and more complete. The connection they share is amazing and she can’t imagine her life without Piper. If you ask me…my life got harder. She keeps me on my toes, makes me crazy and I constantly wonder why life did this to me. She is a perfect example of life gives you the dog you need, not the dog you want. She has taught me so much about myself, and the way I train my pack. I can give her all those kudos and then some. She has been nothing short of a blessing for this family and she got us through losing Belle. She has been the best foster sister to so many that have been through these doors in the last 2.5 years. Because of Piper I am a better mentor to those in the rescue who might have a dog like her and she made me an over-all more patient and understanding person to dogs and to people. So I guess I like her alright :)!

Life with RaeLynn is fun. She has added the glue to the pack. She just moves continuously through the pack as she always belonged. She brings us so much joy and love that it’s hard to think of the world before she was here or after she leaves. I plan to enjoy every second we have together and we couldn’t be more thankful we were chosen to be her parents.

Photographers Note: This is round two for this wonderful family. They first volunteered with Graycie back in November of 2016 (http://www.shineliteatl.com/new-blog-1/2016/12/4/graycie-112616). At the time they were fostering Raelynn and I quickly fell in love with that sweet silly girl. Her coloring is gorgeous and then she just has the best smile. I actually went home and started the conversation about maybe adopting that adorable girl, but alas she ended up with the family she was meant to be with! Piper is just a beauty, with that blonde coat and those piercing eyes; but she is much more then her looks. This girl loves to play ball and play with her rope. She spent a good portion of the photo shoot showing off with her sister, in still very warm fall weather.

I have gotten to know this family over the last two years; they are big supporters of this project and I have become a frequent customer of their dog collars.(which could start to be a problem) They are true advocates for rescue dogs everywhere, responsible pet owners (with 5 big dogs they have their hands full, but they are all so well behaved) and just wonderful, fun people in general. So happy I was able to meet them through this project and who knows maybe a 5 Dog Design / Shine a Light collaboration could be in the future! ;)

Ruby & Ginger - 9/9/18

Name: Ruby (2.5 y/o) & Ginger (2 y/o)

Family Members: Derek & Erin, Gus (1 y/o beagle/mix)

How long have Ruby & Ginger been in the family? Ruby has been in the family a little over 2 years, since August 23rd 2016. Ginger have been with the family for 2 months.

Professions: Erin is a SalesForce Consultant & Derek is a Senior Systems Engineer

Location: Cumming, GA.

Nicknames: Ruby: Rhubarb, Ru-berry, The Ru-dozer, Ruby Dooby

Ginger: Ging, Gin-Gin, Nugget

5 words/phrases that best describe Ruby & Ginger?

Ruby:

Smart
Affectionate
Maternal
Loving
Silly

Ginger:

Eager
Sweet
Nervous
Shy
Playful

What makes Ruby & Ginger unique? Ruby is just an amazing loving dog. Her journey from the dog she was at the shelter when we adopted her to who she is now just makes her so special. Ginger was terrified when she came to us and seeing how much she has blossomed in just a few short weeks is incredible. She is still growing her personality, but she seems to be turning into quite a silly girl.

Rescue Story: 8 months before we adopted Ruby my dog of 13 years, Banjo, died after a battle with cancer. I took it really hard, I had Banjo since I was 16 so I really didn’t know life as an adult without her. I was in a really sad place so I was hesitant to adopt another dog, but Derek fell in love with her picture online and I agreed to go meet her. The second she entered the play area at DCAS (DeKalb County Animal Services) I knew she was mine. She was this skinny little 35lb pit who just wanted to give everyone kisses.

We had a rough start with Ruby, she had kennel cough at the time, which quickly turned into pneumonia and she had to be hospitalized for a few days at GVS (Georgia Veterinary Specialists) . It took 2 months for her to recover and once she did we realized this calm sweet girl was actually a tornado who we were unprepared to handle (our first pit too). It became obvious that Ruby did not have human or other dog interaction as a puppy (her trainer thinks she was just tethered her whole life), she didn’t know how to play and was too bitey. She was reactive to other dogs because she’d get over excited, she chewed everything in our house, got into everything and even managed to scarf down 2 whole rotisserie chicken carcasses and had to be hospitalized again. Thankfully I found out about Frogs to Dogs training and got her into classes ASAP. It took months of obedience, reactive, and socialization classes, and a lot of frustration for both Ruby and myself, but it really made her into the incredible pup she is today. The training gave Ruby the mental stimulation she was lacking and really channeled all that crazy puppy energy. Now she knows about 25 commands, is canine good citizen certified, and, despite originally being told she would probably always need to be an “only dog”, has taken two scared foster pups (both foster fails) under her wing and given them the confidence to be happy dogs.

We were supposed to babysit Ginger for 4 days while her foster Mom was on vacation, but found we couldn’t part with her once that time was up. Ginger was terrified at the shelter and made good progress in the 2 weeks her original foster Mom had her, but it wasn’t until she met my dogs. who were very eager to play with her, did she start to open up even more. Thanks to Ruby and Gus, Ginger is quickly learning how to dog. She now asks for affection and attention from Derek and I, has learned how to wrestle with the other dogs, and is hiding from the big scary noises of the world less.

Ginger’s sleep over turns into her forever home.

What is your favorite pastime as a family? Ruby has recently discovered her love for swimming and thankfully I have found a pet store with a doggy pool near me. She just loves being in that water and she is so funny persistently pushing her toys into my hand so she can dive in and go fetch them.

We haven’t had much time with Ginger yet, but seeing her blossom in confidence has been an amazing rewarding experience. We haven’t made anything official, but Derek won’t let me start searching for her forever home yet so I have a feeling she will be another foster-fail. (Erin sent in her questionnaire in July and between then and their photo shoot in Sept, Ginger was made official!!)

What is life like since you rescued Ruby & Ginger? Since Ruby was such a challenge, it really took a lot of my time and energy to work on her training and get her socialized. This not only helped pull me out of my mourning for Banjo but also inspired me to get involved volunteering with Lifeline Animal Project and helping shelter animals across the board, which has brought me so much joy.

With Ginger, things are little more chaotic with 3 dogs now, and a little louder with Ginger’s impressive snoring abilities, but filled with even more joy.

Photographers Notes: First I will start with Ruby, this beautiful happy girl is the life of the party. What I love the most about her story is the time and dedication that Erin & Derek put into her. When you adopt you may not know the true personality of the dog right away depending on where they are coming from. Shelters can be a very scary, stressful place for dogs and it’s only after time, love and security that they can truly blossom. In Ruby’s case she blossomed into a tornado! :) All it takes is more time, dedication and structure to get those tornado like dogs to a more balanced state, in Ruby’s case she went all the way to Canine Good Citizen, very impressive. The key here is this family did not give up on this sweet girl.

Erin told me Ginger was very shy before I arrived and that I needed to give her space. With a lot of treats and her watching how Ruby and Gus interacted with me, she slowly started to realize this lady may not be so bad. I have written before the feeling of having a shy dog show you trust in a short period of time is just amazing and this was no different. At the end I even got to give her a few pets when she would come stand by me as I sat on the ground. What I love best about this progression is that it’s captured in these photos. The family photo we took first and you see she is a little unsure, but the photo of her with her siblings was the end of the shoot, about 45m after the family shot….look at the difference in her face. I have several more shots of just her and a more relaxed expression, but I wanted to use the group shot for her because she truly is gaining her confidence from her two loving and silly siblings. Through these two and her parents, she will become the confident, happy dog she deserves to be….just time, love & dedication is needed; which she has in spades!

Argo - 9/2/18

Name: Argo - 3 y/o

Family Members: Stephanie & Matt, Cam - 17, Rachel - 16, Deacon - 11. Dogs – Jax - 8, Murphy - 6, Lola - 5

How long has Argo been in the family? 1 year

Professions: Matt works at The Hartford, Stephanie is currently a stay at home mom to the kids & dogs

Location: Woodstock, GA.

Nicknames: Big Boy, Mr. Go, Sweet Boy

5 words/phrases that best describe Argo?

Affectionate
Goofy
Timid in unfamiliar situations
Joyful
Loyal

What makes Argo unique? If you happen to be sitting on the floor, Argo walks right over, backs up and sits right on your lap. He will sit there leaning on you as long as you’ll let him. He LOVES to be touching his people, whether he’s sitting on your lap, putting his head on your leg, or leaning up against you. He also loves almost any fruit or veggie you are willing to share with him. If I’m making a fruit salad, he sits by me looking longingly at the fruit like I’m preparing a ribeye. 😊

Rescue Story: I was volunteering at Labrador Friends of the South. Gwinnett Animal Shelter sent us a picture and video of a ‘black lab mix’ that needed rescue. In the somewhat blurry picture and video, he looked like a lab mix so the rescue agreed agreed to take him. I did a lot of transporting at the time so off I went to pick him up. When they walked him out from his pen (saying ‘walked’ is a stretch – he crawled on his belly because he was so frightened), I knew immediately he was not a lab mix but actually some sort of blue pittie mix. He had the saddest, yet sweetest, eyes and I knew right then there was no way I could leave him behind. He had a severe upper respiratory infection, he was skin and bones, had fly bites all over his face and was HW positive. Once he had been treated for his respiratory infection and was cleared to go to a foster home, I offered to foster him through his heartworm treatment. After about 4 months with us, it was clear that he was already home. On Christmas Day 2017, we made him official.

What is your pastime as a family? Argo is pretty easy to please. As long as he’s got his people nearby, he’s content. We do go on walks and he enjoys a game of catch but he doesn’t have much stamina, so it’s never too long or too far.

What is life like since you rescued Argo? He brings joy and a sense of contentment each day. Just seeing how far he’s come in the last year is amazing. He was afraid of everything. Eating out of a bowl (he had to be hand fed), slamming of a door, the vacuum cleaner, going anywhere near his head, bikes, and more absolutely terrified him. Now, for the most part, he is a happy, silly, gentle and sweet boy. Friends have commented that he looks grateful. We were not looking to add a 4th dog to our already wonderfully chaotic household, but we are so very glad we did.

Photographers Note: This was such a fun shoot. First of all it starts with this gorgeous dog who any photographer would go nuts for, with his beautiful coat and amber eyes, then you follow that with the most wonderful family and silly crazy pup siblings, a lot of laughing for sure.

What is even better is that the timid dog that Stephanie describes above, I saw no glimpse of. Argo was sweet and confident, happy to follow his pup siblings lead but even when he was out in the yard solo he was comfortable and happy. I did however see his lack of stamina! :) After a few throws of the ball, he was pretty much happy to just lay in the grass and be adorable!

Miya & Layla - 7/29/18

Name: Miya (2 y/o) & Layla (4-ish y/o)

Family Members: Kirsti & Colton

How long have Miya & Layla been in the family? Miya since January 7th, 2017 and Layla since September 2017.

Professions: Kirsti - Kindergarten Teacher & Colton - Chemical Engineer

Location: Atlanta, GA. (Buckhead)

Nicknames: Miya: Me-Mi, Bug

Layla: Lay-Lay, Chubs

5 words/phrases that best describe Miya & Layla?

Miya:

Hyper
Sensitive
Loving
Playful
Friendly

Layla:

Stoic
Loves Attention
People Dog
Playful
Cuddly

What makes Miya & Layla unique? When Miya sees us, she gets super-excited and runs at us. She like curls up in the air as she is jumping on us so that her whole body hits us. It’s kinda crazy but absolutely adorable at the same time!

Layla loves to communicate with her paws. When she is hungry, wants to go outside, wants attention, etc. she always lets us know by putting her paws on us and if we ignore her, she will keep it up until we give her some attention.

Rescue Story: I (Kirsti) had a black lab. I had her since I was about 8 years old and she was my side-kick. When Colton and I became a couple, he wanted a dog too. So, we went to the Atlanta Humane Society, she was the first dog we saw and we loved her instantly! We got her out, played with her and adopted her the same day! She turned exactly 1 year old that same day! The only thing we know about her past is that she was born at AHS, so we have her exact birthday. She was also returned to AHS because the family she was living with had a new baby and they didn’t have time to manage Miya’s needs at the same time.

When our black lab passed away, we went in to the Atlanta Humane Society to find a companion for Miya. Layla was an underdog (which meant she had been at the pound longer than most of the others) and the workers said they were having hard time finding her a home because she was big (85 lbs) and she was a pit bull. We got her out, played with her, introduced her to Miya and we loved her! She had trouble at first adjusting to Miya because at her old home they kept her in a small cage for over 12 hours a day. She had never been around other animals and she was overweight and covered in fat deposits (which had to be removed) Her old family kept her so stagnant and implied that she never went on walks.. Once she and Miya got along, we brought her home and they have been best friends ever since! We still have some behavioral issues because of her previous isolation and she has a lot of anxiety from never being around animals, but we are working through it and she has come such a long way!! :)

What is your favorite pastime as a family? Miya loves to play! We wrestle with her almost everyday and she has so much fun! She loves to be pushed around and will always come back for more. She lwill play fetch for hours. She never slows down and she loves water!! We love taking her to the river and playing fetch; the bigger the stick, the happier she gets. Her favorite toys are sticks and water bottles.

Layla can be so funny. She is the size of a small pony and when she gets tired, no matter where she is, she will lay down and will not move. It doesn’t matter if we are crossing the street, on the sidewalk, on a hike or in the grass, it’s like her way of telling us no and that she’s in charge. We’ve even tried picking her up and she just rolls over to avoid you getting your hands under her.

What is life like since you rescued Miya & Layla? Miya has brought so much joy and excitement into our lives! All of our friends know and love her; she goes absolutely everywhere with us. We love coming through the door everyday and she is so excited to see us! For her, we are able to give her the love and attention she deserves! We are constantly going on hikes, to the dog parks or keeping her social and she loves it!!

Layla has definitely come with trials because of her past, but she is worth every minute. We love seeing her and Miya play and get along so well together. She is such a people dog and loves to cuddle! We are definitely happier with her in our lives and we think she is too! ;)

Photographers Note: This photo shoot was the last one for the summer months and it was an amazing one. Kirsti thought it might be fun to meet over at their Crossfit gym (CrossFit 404 -have to give them a shout out because they are very dog friendly) where the dogs spend a lot of time with their parents. It was after hours, we had the place to ourselves and the dogs had a blast. They raced around inside and then we went outside behind the gym which had so many great options for photos. Miya was a hoot, I had a camera full of blurry photos of that one….even when she was supposedly sitting still her nose would be slightly blurred or just part of her face…had to be very quick to capture her before she moved again. Which was why Colton & Kirsti spent a good deal of time throwing the ball for her to tire her out. (which resulted in the sploot pose above, but only for a minute or two). Meanwhile Layla was happy to watch us through the large door while she worked on her soccer ball, which I think was fully destroyed by the time we left.

It’s so great when you hear of dogs ending up in the right homes after being returned or turned in from previous ones. It’s clear that Kirsti & Colton are the perfect pair for these two. They are active, loving and engaged with their pups…boy does it show on these two happy dogs.

Howard - 7/28/18

Name: Howard - 11 y/o

Family Members: Kelly, Tony & Oscar the Cat

How long has Howard been in the family? Howard came to us on October 19, 2014. So, it will be 4 years in October.

Professions: Kelly - CPA, Tony - Handyman

Location: Alpharetta, GA.

Nicknames: Meathead, Fathead, Fat Boy, Little Nugget

5 words/phrases that describe Howard?

Sweet
Sensitive
Gentle
Affectionate
Quirky

What makes Howard unique? Howard is a funny guy! He has personality for days (when he’s not sleeping)! “What a weirdo!” is a phrase often uttered in our house. Howard is also a world class snuggler and takes his duties very seriously.

Rescue Story: Howard was found abandoned in the parking lot of a dog park by Amanda, who is a friend of Bullseye Rescue. We don’t know how long he was there on his own, but by the time Amanda found him, he had collapsed. She contacted Carla (co-founder) at Bullseye and they were able to get him straight to the vet. Howard then lived in boarding for about 3 ½ months. During that time, Amanda was his constant friend, bringing him toys, taking him for walks and to adoption events. Tony and I were still reeling from the recent loss of our senior lab, Sunny, but for us, a house is not a home without a dog in it. So, we decided that we would give fostering a try (ha!). Howard’s adorable mug popped up in my news feed, and I knew that he was the one. I contacted Carla on a Friday night, we met Howard on Saturday and by Sunday morning he was home. It wasn’t long before we knew that there was no way we were letting him go.

From when he was found in the parking lot.

What is your favorite pastime as a family? Howard loves to go for walks, as long as they are of the short, slow variety. He loves to snuggle! He is happiest when we are all just hanging out relaxing together.

What is life like since you rescued Howard? Life with Howard is wonderful! Once we got him home, we found that Howard brought with him a little emotional baggage. While Howard has always been the sweetest, most gentle guy, it soon became clear that he was not always treated with kindness, and was fearful that we would do the same. We got him into training, which really was more people training then dog training, and the whole process was a great bonding experience for all three of us. Howard showed us just how resilient he is and that baggage is now just a blip in the past. I think my favorite part of the day is when Howard sits down in front of Tony’s chair at night and stares at him until Tony gets on the floor and lays with him for their evening snuggles. He’s not pushy or rude, and doesn’t make a sound. He just stares, and Tony can’t resist his charm. Howard is the most amazing dog, and I can’t imagine our life without him.

Photographers Note: What to say about Howard?? I mean this dog is just sweet perfection. I think I fell in love with that handsome frosty face as soon as I walked in the door and he looked up at me with an expression as if to say, “Are you my new friend?” Even at 11 years old, this boy is still full of spunk, don’t let that white face fool ya! He was chasing his ball around his beautiful backyard, showing off a little. Then he was also quite happy to be done with the hot sun and hang out in the shade. Who can blame him?

I will say photographing older dogs is a special treat and a privileged for me. Whether a dog has been with their family their entire life or they came into their home later in life like Howard, you just see a quiet wisdom in their eyes. They have experienced a lot, figured some things out and seem pretty content. If you’re Howard, you add that adorable pittie smile and it’s just magic!

Merica & Kilo - 7/23/18

Name: Merica (8 y/o) & Kilo (2-ish y/o)

Family Members: Keith & Hadley

How long have Merica & Kilo been in the family? Merica has been in the family 4 years and Kilo about a year and half.

Professions: Hadley - Public Administration, Keith – Law Enforcement

Location: East Atlanta, GA.

Nicknames: Merica: Chunky Monkey, Ma’am, Miss Merica, Snookerdook

Kilo: Big Boy, Mr. Kilo, Sir, Drama King

5 words/phrases that best describe Merica & Kilo?

Merica:

Loving aka. total snuggler
Patient
Funny
Protective
Stubborn

Kilo:

Energetic
Handsome
Stubborn
Smart
Talkative

What makes Merica & Kilo unique? Merica always wants to be with us whether that’s sitting in our lap outside or keeping guard at the bathroom door. She has this funny way of just quietly popping her head around the corner to let you know she is watching out for you. She is a little shadow always finding ways to wiggle her way into whatever we are doing.

Kilo LOVES life! Whenever he steps outside he lifts his head towards the sky, closes his eyes, sniffs the air and then sighs like he is in heaven. His clear appreciation for even the smallest of things constantly reminds us how wonderful the little things like a breath of fresh air is. He also loves the car! If he even so much as thinks he is getting in the car he goes nuts.

Rescue Story: It was my (Hadley) graduation weekend from the Master’s program in Charlotte, NC and I was scrolling on Facebook. I saw this picture of Merica taken by the Landfill Dogs Project. I showed my mom and said this is going to be my next dog! My mom looked at me with pure panic and said you should wait until you know where you are going next before taking on such a big commitment; but I had already fallen in love. I messaged the shelter the very next day. It turned out that Merica was in foster care as she was a long timer at the Wake County Animal Shelter. Her foster mom, Jennifer and I talked on the phone and we decided that I should come meet her. I drove the three hours north to meet Merica and her foster mom. Merica and I got along right from the start but there were several other people interested because of her feature in the Landfill Dogs Project. As soon as I got home, Merica’s foster mom called me and said that in comparison to the other potential adopters I was the best fit. I was so ecstatic! A few days later I made the three-hour trip back to Wake County to pick her up. The first few weeks took some adjustments for both of us. I quickly found out that she wasn’t a fan of car rides and just like me gets motion sick. I also discovered that somehow, she always managed to cause more damage in the crate than she ever did out of it. But I also realized that I had been missing my true best friend and we have had so many wonderful adventures since I picked her up from foster care.

I had been going to the DeKalb County Animal Shelter off and on meeting new dogs to see if any were a good fit. One day I (Keith) went and saw Kilo. He was the perfect pup and I just knew he was the one! I signed the adoption papers and set a date to come get him after he had been fixed. The day I picked him up was an adventure. I had military duty so I picked him up as soon as I got off work and off we went in the truck down to Florida. People thought we were crazy but Kilo adjusted quickly and has never minded the constant changing routine. He is just like me and gets bored if he has to sit around for too long.

Merica ready to head to her forever home!

What is your favorite pastime as a family? Merica has two favorite past times. The first is to snuggle. You could be pretty much anywhere and Merica will find a way to sneak on to your lap (as sneaky as a 48lb dog can be). She even managed to convince Keith that her rightful place at bedtime was smack dab in the middle of the human bed not the dog bed. Merica’s other favorite past time is going hiking with us. Her utter joy and excitement to explore new trails and streams has encouraged us to explore new areas and see the wonderful outdoors.

Kilo’s ultimate past time is to play with his tire in the yard. Every time we go outside he looks at the tire, looks at us, and then looks back at the tire; you can totally tell he’s thinking: Its tire time, right? It better be tire time because I think this would be a fabulous time to play! I think he just loves being able to run after it and then whip it around as he carries it back to us. His other favorite past time is convincing us to join him on the deck. He has this trick down where he asks to go out on the deck, waits a few minutes and then comes back the door and pouts. If we go to open it for him he immediately runs back to his bed and looks at us like: “oh I don’t really want to go inside I just want you to come sit out here and watch me chew my bone.” We can not tell you how many times we have been suckered by this little trick of his. Lucky for Kilo we love being on the deck with him just as much as he does.

What is life like since you rescued Merica & Kilo? Merica has significantly changed my life for the better. She has encouraged me to step out of my shell and explore new places. She has also been my escape when school or life seemed too overwhelming. A quick cuddle and walk with Merica can make even the worst of days the best of days. She has this sunny charm and goofyness that makes everyone that spends time with her laugh constantly. She truly brings lots of joy and happiness to our home and I wouldn’t want it any other way!

Kilo has shown us what true spunk is. It is impossible to miss a walk or time outside because Kilo is sure to remind us that it is time to go outside and smell the air. Kilo is always up to some antics that make us laugh (especially when he decides it is time to workout with the yoga ball). He has a determination and defiance like no dog we have ever known and that has made us extremely patient. He is also very selective with his snuggles so when he chooses to snuggle with you - you know he is giving you his heart. Kilo, while young obviously had a previous owner that let him down in a lot of ways. We strive each day to show him that we love him no matter what. We are looking forward to many more years of him keeping us on our toes!

Photographers Note: This was such a fun shoot. Keith & Hadley have a huge yard for the dogs to play in, which provided a lot of opportunities for some good shots. Kilo was all about his big tire toy and even did a few swings with Keith’s assistance, big ole smile and just flying through the air! Merica was cracking me up because she got a little obsessed with the yellow duck I use to get the dogs attention. I had a few shots where she was staring me & the duck down so intently that I knew if Hadley let her go, she would run right over me to get to the duck! :) She even walked me to my car when it was time to leave and Hadley couldn’t get her to go inside. I tried to tell myself it was because she really like me but I am pretty sure it was the duck she didn’t want to leave!

Side note on the Landfill Dogs Project, as someone that supports rescue and appreciates good photography, especially photography that features dogs in need; this was a project that really moved me when I first learned of it a few years back. The message that this photographer is portraying with these photos being taken in a landfill, is powerful and the photos are beautiful. I am so pleased that one of our Shine A Light volunteers is in a loving home due to that project and I hope so many more can say the same. If you are not aware of the project, click the link in Merica’s rescue story above or find them on Facebook under Landfill Dogs.

Trooper - 7/22/18

Name: Trooper - 1.5 y/o

Family Members: Zachary & Christina

How long has Trooper been in the family? 7 months

Professions: Zachary is an engineer & Christina is a Special Education teacher

Location: Woodstock, GA.

Nicknames: Troopapa, Papa, Bubba, Big Guy

5 words/phrases that best describe Trooper?

Snuggly
Sassy
Playful
Blanket Hog
Silly

What makes Trooper unique? Trooper is the BIGGEST snuggler. His favorite pastime is to gather every blanket he can find, bring them to his favorite human (mom) and snuggle up for hours!

Rescue Story: We found Trooper at the Atlanta Humane Society right after New Years Day. Many dogs had been adopted out right before the holidays, but we knew we were meant to bring a pup home that day! We just started to give up hope that we would find the perfect dog for us when Christina saw Trooper’s big, adorable ears from across the shelter. The AHS worker warned us that Trooper was extra-shy, which explained why he was in the shelter for so long. Once we brought him outside, he did his business and ran around a bit- seemingly aloof. After a minute or two though, he sprinted over to us and fell over at our feet looking for snuggles! The AHS worker’s jaw dropped- Trooper had never acted so friendly before! We knew in that moment that he picked us and we immediately went inside to put on the collar we brought with us (it already had his name on it!)
We don’t know much about Trooper’s first family, but we do know that they brought him to the Atlanta Humane Society within days of his first birthday. We hope that his family treated him nicely, but Trooper has been doing a lot of hard work to recover from some separation anxiety!

Trooper starting the New Year off right!

What is your favorite pastime as a family? We LOVE to snuggle with Trooper! Trooper also loves trips to visit our family in Peachtree City. There are so many fun places for Trooper to explore there, and he’s got so many kitty cousins to chase; I mean play with there!

What is life like since you rescued Trooper? Trooper is literally a life saver. He is the glue that holds us together on a daily basis! He is a big goofball, but he is so smart and wise, especially when he knows his humans need lots of extra love! We know every puppy parent says this, but we truly got the best, albeit quirkiest, dog ever!

Photographers Note: What can you say about this adorable boy, but just one word...EARS! I mean of course you see his sweet and welcoming demeanor, but then once those ears go up to full staff...you just have to smile. Trooper was so excited to welcome me into their home and show me the ropes; like how he likes to keep an eye on the neighborhood via the back of the couch, his pretty large collection of sleeping blankets on the same couch...for when neighborhood watch gets to be to just too exhausting. He is just the smilest boy and I loved capturing the many variations of those majestic ears!

Lilly - 7/17/18

Name: Lilly - 2.5 y/o

Family Member: Laura

How long has Lily been in the family? 1 year

Profession: Elementary School Teacher

Location: Atlanta, GA.

Nicknames: Lillypup

5 words/phrases that best describe Lilly?

Loving
Excited
Snuggly
Active
Happy

What makes Lilly unique? She snorts when she is happy. The louder she snorts, the happier she is! It’s her form of communication.

Rescue Story: Lilly is originally from Wisconsin. She hurt her leg as a puppy and was sent to a veterinarians office in Marietta that also is a rescue for injured animals. After she healed from her injury, it was time to send her back to Wisconsin. Sadly, the shelter in Wisconsin did not want an injured dog (she had a limp from her injury) so they rejected her and she continued to live at the vet’s office in their rescue division for the next year. I was looking into adopting a dog and had been to multiple shelters. I found her picture online and immediately called to set up a meet and greet with her. When they brought her out she started snorting and that was what made my decision to adopt her clear! We have been attached ever since and her snorting is just as cute as the day I brought her home.

What is your favorite pastime as a family? Walking together in Piedmont Park.

What is life like since you rescued Lilly? Life has gotten so much better. I struggle with depression and anxiety and my pup has helped me so much with that and has become an amazing companion to have around. She makes my life better!

Photographers Note: I met Laura and Lilly at Old Fourth Ward Park in the evening, which that time of day just creates the best natural lighting. Of course it was still so hot but Lilly was a trooper. She sat perfectly for her bow tie photo and then even took time out during her photo with her Mom to dole out some kisses. Granted my secret weapon to get the pups to look at me (squeaky duck) was really no match for the real thing that were swimming around in the water! She quickly recovered when she realized she wasn't going to get to say Hi! She is just such a sweet little girl and very happy! It's clear that these two were meant to find each other!

Massie - 7/15/18

Name: Massie

Family Members: Ashley (Mom) & Manuel (Dad)
Kids: Dexter (23), (21) & Caleb (15)
Other Fur Kids:
Dogs: Shandy (Aussie Mix – 14), Dewey (Lab Mix – 10), Zoe (Greyhound Mix – 6)
Cats: Lily (18), Valentino (10), Oreo (10)
All are rescues!

How long has Massie been in the family? She started as a foster, about a year ago. We adopted her recently, as we just could not bear to part with her and honestly, we didn’t think she’d be able to part with us. So, we’ve had her nearly a year and a half now.

Professions: Ashley – Client Services/Account Director for Heritage Werks, Inc.
Manuel – Sales for Comcast

Location: Johns Creek, GA.

Nicknames: Massie Lynn, Mass-Mass, Lynnie, Massilyn

5 words/phrases that best describe Massie?

Loving
Loyal
Sweet
Animated
Ornery

What makes Massie unique? When she wants to show her love, she basically punches you with her paws. It’s her way of saying how much she loves you! She also pouts if you don’t let her love on you. She will literally flop down and huff out a breath!

Rescue Story: She was left behind at doggy daycare for nearly 2.5 months. The owners just left her behind. BullsEye Rescue got involved and asked us to foster her. She’d come in with a “brother”, but was showing real signs of anxiety and aggression with other dogs. She was terrified of my husband to start. We took her on as a foster and didn’t realize the extent of her anxiety, which led to a rough start in our house (a couple of tough dog fights to get through). However, she never gave up and when we showed her the slightest bit of discipline, leadership and love, she just blossomed. She’s the light of our house and we are so lucky to have her.

What is your favorite pastime as a family? She loves car rides. The car used to bring her such anxiety! Now, she adores being in the car. She loves walks (short ones) and she likes to lay in your lap as much as possible.

What is life like since you rescued Massie? So enriched. We cannot imagine our lives or our house without her. She brings such joy. The most impactful part has been with my husband. He is a retired Marine and he struggled after retirement. Working with Massie – training her and loving her – has brought him such joy and taught him such patience. She makes me laugh out loud with her funny personality. For the first few months we had her, she hardly ever barked or showed any emotion other than aggression if she was frustrated. Now, she talks to us and we can see how much we mean to her. She’s become the best dog and when I look at her and my husband, I’m never sure who rescued who…

Photographers Note: This is one of those stories that just make you smile, because this family never gave up on sweet Massie. So often people will bring home a dog and after two days, say Nope, they don't get along with the rest of our dogs and send them back. There is a decompression period for many dogs, especially those that may not understand why they were left. This family has some elder pups in it, and I think those who have older dogs, know they can be set in their ways. So not only did they bring in a dog who was acting out but they also had to get the older dogs on board. Then the cherry on top, is what Massie & Manual did for each other. Each of them needing the other and most likely not even realizing it. These are the happy endings folks in rescue love to see!

Niko & Molly - 7/14/18

Name: Niko (6-ish y/o) & Molly (4-ish y/o)

Family Members: Taylor & Dodd, our son Jordan, who has Autism and is 24…
Bogey our Boxer is about 9 maybe (he’s from AAU, formerly
Patrick), Bitty the meanest cat in America is about 6, Boo the cat is 5, Graciebelle the cat is about 3…and Hobie Cat is about 2.

How long have Niko & Molly been in the family? Niko has been in the family 3 years & Molly about 2.5 years

Professions: Dodd is a Locations Manager for TV/Movies. Taylor is former model & Locations Scout for shows.

Location: Cumming, GA.

Nicknames: Niko: Ham-hock, Chunky Monkey, Shark Week & Doodamahoney (me-speak for “you are my honey” don’t ask, lol)

Molly: Mol, MolMol, Mol-ster, Crazy Train, Molly the Backyard Raptor

5 words/phrases that best describe Niko & Molly?

Niko:

Soooooo Lazy
Goofy
Kind-hearted
Snuggly
Kitten Loving (LOVES Cats)

Molly:

Molly is GAME ON. Every single day. She is showin’ up, with JOY and
ENTHUSIASM…BEING YOUR DOG, with like, everything she has! I
wish I had a fraction of her energy.
She will play ball until she falls over dead.
She is devoted and protective, you are not sneaking up on us…ever.
She has a ridiculously shrill bark…she may be famous for it even.
She has a very soft and snuggly side when she finally, and I do mean finally
takes a nap.

What makes Niko & Molly unique? Probably Niko’s total lack of prey drive, he loves all small creatures and has raised 3 kittens. We once paid money at a dog lure course and he didn’t even notice the lure going….he was too busy visiting with the guy running the course. He is also SUPER overly people friendly too…like, go-home-with-a-complete-stranger friendly. Zero stranger-danger. For Molly it's her ball catching skills and sheer speed is just a phenomenon! Seriously, I need to get her out competing…she likes to catch all things, she will catch a Frisbee too but she just prefers a ball. The Chuckit has saved my life. I want to kiss those people.

Heart shaped nose & heart shaped head for a boy who is all heart!

Rescue Stories:: I had just lost my first Pit bull, my beloved little Rowdy…we lost him to IMHA at UGA vet hospital in 7 of the worst days of my life. this form of anemia is very deadly and we fought it as hard as we could, but we could not save him. I never thought that I would ever stop crying, but then my husband said to me…”someone is out there, right now, looking for you…” and I went to my computer and saw Nikolaia at Clayton County Animal Control. His sad face, his worried eyes, his ribs showing through his dull coat…he was a staff favorite it said, but he was on the euthanasia list unless a foster could be found, he had just a couple days left. So I decided to temp foster this big boy for two weeks, he was scheduled to go to a rescue up North. I think I foster failed on day 2. He was the biggest chicken I had ever seen. It was like once he had a home, he was NOT going to leave it, no need to go outdoors at all, nope. He was scared of so many things…and to this day he really does prefer a good cuddle on the couch to a walk out where there might be scary loud cars and trucks. For Niko, the best thing about going outside on a walk is getting to meet new people, that’s his reward for braving the big scary vehicles. He’s a lazy, sunbathing, chunky, love bug…quite possibly the most perfect dog ever.

Molly's story starts when e were living in Monroe, and I was walking Bogey and Niko
through our little downtown park when we found her. She was clearly out on her own for a while, no collar, skinny and covered in debris and something that smelled dead…you could smell her by just standing near her. People said she had been in the park a while and
had seen her have a few near misses with passing cars but she would not come to anyone. She came to us, she liked the boys, they liked her, but I was alone and had to walk home to drop them off before I could come back and maybe try to help her; I just could not leave her there. We did not need another dog, we had never had three dogs before, it felt like a lot because we are a special needs family. So we reported her to our Animal Control. We listed her on their online database, we made posters and flyers and plastered the town with them, we listed her on social media to try to find her people; in the meantime, she went to the vet for a checkup. She was not spayed, she was covered in fleas and ancient ticks, she was young but
very high heartworm positive. We had her fixed, we started fast-kill treatment for the heart worms and I just figured that if we found her people, that they were just going to get her back in much better health because I could not do nothing. Her people were never found,we were now her people. We never saw ourselves as a three dog family but here we are. Molly brings a high energy level to our house, true, but also lot of running, playing and
shenanigans. She is a one-woman exercise program for our lazy boys and our primary squirrel look-out…with her second-in-command, Bogey, close at her heels. Niko has zero prey drive,
possibly less than zero, it’s hard to say. Molly rules our house, but the boys don’t mind. She loves her 4 cats, which is a surprise forsuch a game dog, but then again, dogs are surprising, right? I think she was meant to find us…we were missing shenanigans, clearly, lol.

Molly sitting shot gun on the way to her eventual forever home!

What is your favorite pastime as a family? We go to lots of festivals (our dogs LOVE to festival) and on lots of dog walks, we like to be good ambassadors for bully breed babies
so we are out there, letting people meet us and our dogs! Molly gained a lot of confidence from our festival-king, Niko…no one loves to meet-n-geet more than him. She learned from the best. Niko is loved by so many in our town, including the Police Chief. When I have Niko out with me, Niko is alllll that I can do, he usually has a crowd of people and children around him and he absolutely LOVES that. I joke that I am his staff, he’d sign autographs if he only had a thumb. Of course with Molly we also PLAY. BALL. All the time. Work…play ball.
Clean…play ball. Cook…play ball. Stop whatever you are doing…AND
PLAY BALL.
The social opportunities at the pit bull walks we attend are really great for our
son with Autism too, Jordan’s Autistic “enthusiasm” is animals and he loves to go and participate. It’s a very welcoming place for him and we are grateful. We have honestly made so many friends because of our dogs, the pit bull community is filled with very bighearted
and kind people.

What is life like since you rescued Niko & Molly? Our life is happy.... we are super-busy, there is always stuff to do with 3 dogs and 4 cats. My Roomba and I are usually working side by side to keep
up, Niko helped heal our heart from our loss and I think we helped heal some of his “wounds” as well. We mostly cannot imagine a life before him and we are so grateful that we saw his face that day and followed our hearts to pay the love forward. Adopting Niko has been a blessing.
We are also happy and very proud to be ambassadors for Pit bulls when we are out in the community with Niko, helping others to learn by actually meeting one and interacting with one…we are helping to change hearts, and we feel good about that. Niko gets lots of extra pets…and he feels great about that! I’d say that Molly keeps us moving and Niko keeps us snuggling…wethink it’s a good balance.
She smells sooooooo much better these days too, lol.

Photographers Notes: This was a really fun shoot. I have gotten to know Taylor through the Atlanta area pit bull community so this felt like coming over to a friends house and just taking a few photos. In typical Georgia fashion for July, it was a humid day but Taylor had actually set up fans outside to keep us all cool and keep the bugs away...it was pretty fantastic! Taking photos of Niko and Molly, exactly matched up with how they are described above. Molly was Go-Go-Go and just wanted to play ball, Niko was content to lay on the patio furniture and relax. In fairness to Niko, he is on restriction due to a knee injury but pretty sure he wasn't going to last too long up against his energetic sister!

I espcially love this family does everything they can to change perceptions on a daily basis with their pups and use their sweet demeanor's to win over many! Seriously, Niko is just about the biggest ham...not sure how anyone could resist that sweet face!

Chance - 7/13/18

Name: Chance - 6 y/o

Family Members: Parents - Jimmy & Katie. fur-siblings – Charlie, Otter & Hogan

How long has Chance been in the family? Just over a year. We started fostering in May 2017 and foster failed in June.

Profession: Katie: Rescue Coordinator at DeKalb County Animal Services – LifeLine Animal Project

Location: Buford, GA.

Nicknames: Chancey, Honey Bear, Buddy

5 words/phrases that best describe Chance?

Happy
Courageous
Independent
Resilient
Unstoppable

What makes Chance unique? Chance has three legs, but that has never once slowed him down. In fact, he moves quicker on three legs than he ever did when I knew him on four.

Rescue Story: I found Chance after working at DCAS (the old shelter) for about four weeks. When I started working there, I promised myself I wouldn't be bringing any dogs home. Chance broke my heart the moment I saw him. He was pushed so hard into a corner of the run that his face was bleeding. He had wounds and scars all over his face and body and would not walk. I took him into the office where he sat in my lap for two hours shaking. I advocated for him for days, but nobody was really interested in a dog that shut down. Chance stopped eating so I spent the next few days sitting in his kennel trying to feed him cheeseburgers, hot dogs rotisserie chicken, french fries... Anything I could find, yet nothing would work. I finally broke down and said I would take him home for the weekend, just so he could get a good night's sleep and some food in him.

Long story short -

The weekend passed and we had agreed to foster him through his heartworm treatment. He started getting more comfortable with us and moving around more and we realized he wasn't using one of his back legs. He went for x-rays where we found out that he had been shot and his leg was broken, and had been re-healing for anywhere from 6-8 months. He would need an amputation. Once we found that out, it was over, and he became a permanent part of our family.

We have had Chance for almost a year now and while he has his issues (he does not like to be touched, is difficult to leash, etc.), he remains the happiest, most gentle boy I have every brought into my home. About three weeks ago, he came up to me for pets for the first time. He is always smiling and his tail is always wagging. He 100% relies on his dog siblings to show him the ropes, and to this day, I still have not been able to take him anywhere without one of the other dogs.

Chance loves other dogs, but has never really played with them - Just likes to be around them. We recently added Otter, a 12 week old DCAS puppy, to our family; he and Chance play non-stop. Chance has also started playing with toys since Otter came home, and that is the first time he has ever shown any interest in them.

Every day I am amazed by his resilience. I don't know what happened to him in his past, and quite frankly I don't want to, but the important part is that I can control his future and there are nothing but amazing things going on from here.

What is your favorite pastime as a family? Hiking and visiting breweries.

What is life like since you rescued Chance? It could not be better. Adopting Chance really put lots of things into perspective for me. It made me appreciate the small things – like when he laid his head on me for the first time, or the first time he willingly let me pet him – and it gave me a new outlook on truly being able to make a difference. Chance is a million miles from where he was this time last year, and continues to improve every day. I can’t wait to see how many years and memories are left in store for us.

Photographers Note: Katie had let me know before the shoot that Chance was shy and got his courage from his fur siblings. I wasn't going to be able to pet him or get too close. When I came into their home, he sat on his bed and just watched me and watched how his fur siblings interacted with me. Of course, I just wanted to run up to him and kiss that adorable face but I showed restraint and sat on the step snapping a few photos. Always keeping a comfortable distance so he didn't feel anxious. Chance has just the best pittie smile, I mean his lips actually turn up at the ends. I could have photographed him for hours!

As we walked down to the lake with the whole crew, I could see him get more comfortable. Walking back he even came up behind me and gave me a little bump with his nose. When a really shy dog, let's you know that they are starting to trust you a little, it is really just the best feeling in the world. I can not wait to see how this loved boy blossoms more and more, now that he is in the best forever home!

Lola - 7/8/18

Name: Lola - 3 y/o

Family Members: Kelsey, her boyfriend & her Grandfather. Also, two old men - a 9 year old Nova Scotian Duck Toller named Harley and an 11 year old Cocker Spaniel named DJ.

How long has Lola been in the family? Since she was 5 weeks old

Profession: Kelsey - Genius at BMW, a mixture of product specialist/event coordinator/social media manager/managers assistant

Location: Acworth, GA.

Nicknames: Loli, Lil' Cannoli, Boobie

5 words/phrases that best describe Lola? (or 6)

Velcro Dog - I can't walk anywhere without her nose in the back of my knee.
Stubborn
Cuddler - preferably under at least once soft blanket
Curious
Happy
She is loving with her people & her dogs (DJ our deaf cocker is her best friend). She is also very protective and if there is a fishy noise outside she won't leave my side.

What makes Lola unique? She likes fruits and vegetables almost more then she likes meat. I don't always have to give her commands, I can point to her bed and she'll lay down or got to her spot just outside the kitchen while I am cooking. She'll whisper for treats all day and she tucks herself into her cave bed every night at 10:30 sharp! She loves to swim and will drag anyone over to ANY puddle/stream/river to take a dip but she hates the rain and the sprinklers.

Demonstrating her love for a refreshing dip! (post dip)

Rescue Story: I got Lola when she was very tiny - only 5 weeks old and just barely done with bottle feeding. She was part of a litter of puppies born to dogs owned by a friend of my former boss. She had the parents and for whatever reason never got them fixed. Instead choosing to crate them separately and monitor them when outside together. When her family went on vacation, the dog sitter didn't watch them closely enough and her female dog ended up getting pregnant. About three weeks after the puppies where born, somehow both parent dogs got a hold of a rabid skunk. She said the vet told her she could quarantine the dogs separately for 6 months or have them euthanized. Having lupus so bad she could barely use her fingers, a baby with hip displaysia and some serious heart problems and now six tiny puppies to bottle feed; she decided she wouldn't be able to handle quarantining the parents on top of all that and decided to have them euthanized. She told my boss that if the puppies weren't adopted by 8 weeks she would take them all to the pound. Puppies always have better chances of getting adopted but pit bulls in upstate New York don't fair well in the shelters. My ex-boyfriends family already had a 120lb very outspoken Blue Tick Coonhound, but I had to do something. We went to their house thinking we would adopt a different puppy. They were in the middle of bottle feeding and Lola (Athena at the time), belly full, waddled over to me and fell asleep in my lap. From that moment on she was part of the family.

What is your favorite pastime as a family? She loves a good nap or a shallow swim so we take her swimming and hiking as much as possible. I work with cars and I take her to car shows as often as possible. She doesn't care about the cars she's just happy to be there. We have a .6 acre backyard and a doggie door, so she sprints laps around the yard and through the house a few times a day. 2-3 times a week we walk about three miles. She likes the walks until about a mile in, after that she is not interested. Otherwise we practice old tricks, work on new ones (she's trying heard not to learn drop it right now) and chase her around the house.

What is life like since you rescued Lola? She's definitely spoiled. I work a lot and try to make up for my time at work on my time off. She's taught me to be more consistent and aware of how much time I spend traveling, balancing her needs with my own.

Photographers Note: Lola was such a trooper on this very warm day in July. She was so excited to be at the park and check out all the wonderful smells. She showed off her whisper trick, which I am still kicking myself I didn't get it on video. Then as we were moving to a different location she pulled Kelsey towards a puddle and before we knew it, she dropped her shoulder and went for it. (see outtakes posted on FB and Instagram) A Shine a Light first and I loved every second of it...both Kelsey and Grant both just shook their heads and said, " Yep, this is pretty much her". So to be able to capture her post dip, just made my day. Then of course there is the challenge of her getting in the car to go home. So we walked her over to the lake and again before Kelsey knew it, she jumped in...leash/collar and all. Kelsey pulled her out quickly and she just looked so happy. For a dog that doesn't like rain, she sure does love the water!

Captain Jack - 7/7/18

Name: Captain Jack

Family Members: Mary & Dan

How long has Captain Jack been in the family? 2.5 years

Professions: Mary - Professor of Computer Science, Dan - General Contractor, former Eastern Airlines Pilot

Location: Peachtree City, GA.

Nicknames: Jack, Jackee (the ee sound lingers), Snuggle Butt, Sweet Boy, Toad (but we call each other and all grandchildren toads, kind of a family thing).

5 words/phrases that best describe Jack:

Happy
Handsome
Sweet
Lover Boy (he loves everyone he has met, human and animal)
Dude (when he is bad)

What makes Jack unique? The recliner in the living room is his recliner, and he only sits in it when a human is in it so he can sit on top of them. Jack knows when Dan is not feeling well. Jack licks all of Dan’s wounds and scars from open heart surgery every night before he lays down between us with his head on Dan’s shoulder.

Rescue Story: Our story is different. I was a cat lady all my life. No dogs, afraid of dogs, knew nothing about dogs. We have a blended family of grown children. So stepson asks us to take care of his dog for stretches of time. We had heard the dog was destructive so made him a very nice bed in the storage area in our house. We walked and played with the dog and nothing is destroyed, so we let him into the main part of the house. Still nothing destroyed. I am becoming more comfortable with the dog. Dog goes back and forth from us to stepson. One month, dog comes to our house and he isn't "right", something is wrong. We tell stepson. Dog has advanced stage heartworms. Stepson pays for the treatment but can't physically do it all, so dog comes to live with us for the treatments.

The first treatment the dog collapses in a puddle of his own urine whimpering and in pain. I cried and carried him into the bathroom. We nursed him back to health. We bathed him, hoisted his butt up in our bed, fed him steak, and smothered him with love. After a year he is better. He goes back to stepson. I realize that I lost my heart to this dog. I tell my husband, I think we should get a dog. Stepson tells us that his dog is a bully. Remember I know nothing about dogs and am looking for a bully and can't find one. I am confused. It is clarified for me that the dog is a pit bull. OMG I was floored. I never would have let a pit bull in my house. How uneducated I was to this breed.

Before I could find a dog, my husband's aorta artery ruptures. Husband survives but he will never be the same, he is severely disabled. I know that I now must have a dog. I found a breeder of XL pit bulls who specialized in service dogs. I put a down payment on the puppy. I brought my husband home weeks later from the hospital. A month later we went to choose the pup. Out of 10 there were only three who fit what we required in the pup. Of the three, only one went to my husband's side and stayed there the entire time. We brought our boy Jack home and it is the single best decision I have ever made in my life. I do believe my husband would not be here today had it not been for Jack to give him a reason to get up everyday. I have never experienced the capacity of love for an animal. My husband is lost without Jack at his side. The two do everything together.

As I began to research about the breed, I discovered the huge problems facing shelters. I donate regularly to rescues, I volunteer at the local shelter. We cannot rescue another dog because of my husband's condition. We are not the typical rescue situation. Jack rescued us and opened up our world.

What is your favorite pastime as a family? Dan has to walk & loves to fly. Jack & Dan go to the Falcon Field airport everyday and walk the flight line. Jack is grounded by routine and knows when it is time for Dan to get dressed and take him to the airport.

What is life like since you got Jack? Dan’s aorta rupture is called the “widow maker”. Only 5% survive the rupture and complete dissection. Dan’s aorta is dissected ascending and descending, with tears in his renal arteries. Dan lost his livelihood, all hobbies, and is in constant pain. He is disabled. The surgeon does not know why Dan is still here.
Jack is a life giving force for my husband. Jack eases Dan’s anxiety and pain. Jack is Dan’s companion, they go everywhere together on errands. I work long hours and so I am gone a lot. I can leave for work knowing that Jack is watching over Dan. Jack is our family. Dan and I did not have children together since we married after all children were grown and gone. Dan and I have a dog together. We live and breath Jack.
As for Jack, no dog has been as loved and spoiled as this dog. We boarded Jack for two weeks when we went on vacation last year. Jack broke out of the kennel 5 times destroying their house trying to get home to us. We have to hire a dog sitter sometimes who cooks for Jack. Jack is always out of sorts when Dan has to be gone overnight. Jack does not like it one bit. Jack will climb up on Dan’s pillows and sleep there. Jack is bathed every week because he noses the shower door open to join Dan.

Photographers Note: As you probably realize this story is a little different for this project. Jack is not a rescue, which is a requirement to volunteer for Shine A Light. When Mary reached out to me with their story, I made an exception for a couple reasons. The dog she references that belonged to her stepson was Cash, our volunteer from 5/20 who passed away the same day that his story went up on this site. (you may recognize their grandson Skylar above from Cash's story) Cash absolutely did what we want this campaign to do; change perceptions about these dogs and he did that for Mary. The other reason being that there is a pretty amazing rescue story here, it just happens to be Jack who did the rescuing. Now because of these two dogs, we have two more people who are advocating for these wonderful pups and doing what they can to change more minds. You only have to spend a few minutes with this family to see how much Captain Jack is loved. They even made arrangements for him in their wills. He is a family member, a care taker and just a goofy happy boy, what more could you ask for?

Tyson - 7/1/18

Name: Tyson - 8 y/o

Family Members: Parents- Mylinda and Robert
Kids- Alora (Tyson’s mom), 18 and Bryce, 15
Dogs- Duncan and Bennett
Cats- Maslow, Summer, Augustus, Tinkerbell
Snake- Martha
Rabbit- Theo
Chickens- Jo, Charlie, Scramble, Moe, Curly, Larry

How long has Tyson been in the family? 7 years

Professions: Robert- Electrician/Owner at Full Circle Electrical
Mylinda- Office Manager at Full Circle Electrical

Location: Douglasville, GA.

Nicknames: TyTy, Baby dog, Baby boy, Bubby

5 words/phrases that best describe Tyson?

Happy
Loves everyone he meets
Gives lots of kisses
Laid Back
Such a good boy!

What makes Tyson unique? He has only three legs!

Rescue Story: My mom (Mylinda) worked at an animal hospital at the time, in 2011. A man brought this dog in, saying he had jumped out of the back of his truck and broken his leg. The dog had a severely damaged right hind leg. The man that brought him in said that he could not afford the surgery to repair the leg, so he was surrendered to the hospital. My mom stepped forward and said that she would cover the cost of his surgery if she could have the dog. He came to stay with us for a few days to see how he liked everyone and would adjust to our house, and I fell in love instantly. Even though he must have been in excruciating pain, his tail never stopped wagging and he never stopped offering kisses. Fast forward to his surgery, when they went to pin his leg, the bone was shattered beyond repair and amputation became his only option. After becoming a three-legged dog, Tyson did not change a bit. His tail still wagged as hard as before, he gave just as many-if not more-kisses. He still ran as fast as he could and played like a normal dog would, and we knew that his joyful spirit would bring a light to our lives for many years to come. He loves everyone he meets and puts a smile on everyone’s faces. We are so thankful to have found him and to love him.

What is your favorite pastime as a family? Tyson really loves to sleep, and he really loves to sleep in the bed or on the couch with you. He can’t jump up by himself, so he’ll just whine until somebody helps him. But once he’s up there with you, he’s curled up right on top of you, stealing all of your blankets, and snoring super loud. It’s honestly the best. So I guess I’d have to go with sleeping, because nobody naps as hard as Tyson.

What is life like since you rescued Tyson? I think life for Tyson since being rescued is THE life. I mean, we cater to his every need! I don’t know anything about his life before us, but I do think that we certainly have more to offer him. He loves to just sit outside on the porch and sunbathe all day and I feel like he’s a dog that really just appreciates life. (Plus, we carry him up the stairs and around when he gets too tired on walks and stuff.) So, I think that his life has definitely been a lot happier since we met. Our lives have been, too. Over the years, if I (Alora) have found myself sad or lonely, Tyson has always been my go to. We would go watch the sunset or get ice cream or just hang out. He has taught me so much about taking things slow, but never giving up. He gets around so well that sometimes people don’t even realize that he only has three legs. The way that he just gets up and keeps going and plays and runs and loves is very inspiring. Tyson has been my world since the day we met.

Photographers Notes: Alora had chosen a great spot for our photo shoot and it was so wonderful the whole family was there. It also ended up being really good they were there to help get Tyson to show off one of his most adorable assets....his EARS! I threw all my tricks at him, some would work initially but then he would quickly tire of that noise or the treats and back down they would go. We had family members making crazy sounds, waving arms...you name it just to get those ears to stand up. When they did....Magic! Don't get me wrong this sweet boy is handsome with ears up or down, but when you have ears like Tyson's, you really must show them off!

Sandy - 6/17/18

Name: Sandy - 8 y/o

Family Members: Tommy, Magan, Addie( 9), Aubrey (2), Chloe the Chihuahua (2)

How long has Sandy been in the family? 1 year

Professions: Tommy is a Generator Service Tech. & Magan is a stay at home Mom and k-9 Foster Mom

Location: Sharpsburg, GA.

Nicknames: Baby Girl, Brat, Old Lady

5 words/phrases that best describe Sandy?

spoiled
lucky
k-9 Mommy
loving
Best dog in the world

What makes Sandy unique? Sandy knows when I am about to have a panic attack and helps me through them. She also has become an EXCELLENT foster mom to the puppies that we foster.

Rescue Story: Sandy was owner surrendered at Atlanta Humane Society. I had lost my dog of 15 yrs in 2016. We had no plans to adopt another dog because I didn’t feel that I was ready. Well we had about an hour to waste, so we decided to go over to the humane society. We were just walking through the kennels and saw this scared dog curled up in a ball. You could tell that she had no idea what was going on and where she was. When we got her in the meeting room, we just fell in love with her. We couldn’t take her home that day because they were so busy with the adoptions that they were having to do them the next buisness day. We went home and got ready for her. When we came back to get her the adoption counselor said she didn’t think that Sandy would be a good fit. We did! We took her home and fell even more in love. When we introduced her to my family they were not happy! They hated pits. They just knew she would eat one of our kids. Never the less she is still here and we love her more and more every day.

What is your favorite pastime as a family? Sandy loves to play with the water hose and bubbles. We also love to play chase with her outside!

What is life like since you rescued Sandy? For me it she has been a God send. My anxiety levels are down. I am having less panic attacks. I know that she is more comfortable here. We noticed after a few things that have happened that she might have been abused. So having a home where she is not abused has changed and opened her up.

Photographers Notes: One of my favorite things about doing this project is seeing the wonderful loving homes that these rescue pups end up in, especially those with children. Mainly because so many people think that these dogs should not be in a home with children and often have to work to educate loved ones around them because that myth is so wide spread. Why shouldn't they be loved by children just like any other dog? Seeing Sandy with her two little people is all the proof you need. She just loves those kids and in turn they adore her. Life is just better when you get to grow up with a dog in your family, whatever dog that may be!

A side note, just a couple weeks after this photo shoot Magan let me know they adopted a 2nd pit bull into their family. Good chance we will be seeing this family again in the fall for story #2!

Fiona Petunia - 6/4/18

Name: Fiona Petunia - about 3 y/o, however she’s a lucky gal in that she looks much younger then her age.

Family Members: At the moment it’s just Fiona, my boyfriend Tim, and myself (Joy). She has lots of extended family (kids, dogs, cats, ducks, you name it!). She has a best friend down the street, who she longingly stares at her house each and every time we pass by, just hoping she’ll get to have a few precious moments of playtime. Hopefully soon we’ll find a bigger place to live and she’ll get to have lots of foster brothers and sisters!

How long has Fiona been in the family? A little over 3 months.

Professions: Joy is a nurse in the cardiac department at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Egleston. Tim is in school for and also works in IT. Fiona has her Master’s degree in extreme adorableness, she’s a total workaholic.

Location: Inman Park, GA.

Nicknames: Fiona Bear, Fi Fi, Rolly Polly, Piggypotamus, Little Meatball….

5 words/phrases that best describe Fiona:

Complete Angel
Loving
Resilient
Gentle
Absolutely Adorable

What makes Fiona unique? There are so many it’s hard to narrow it down! One big trait is her pure innocence (I know we like to say all dogs are innocent, but let’s face it, some are more so then others!!). She genuinely wants to be friends with all creatures. She seems to look at the world like a sweet innocent child, wanting to explore and make friends and bring happiness to everyone around her.

Rescue Story: We had recently found a home for our first foster Winnie, who we had for almost a year. Of course we were overjoyed for her, but we missed her terribly. It had also been almost 2 years since my last dog passed away. We started just foster sitting while other foster parents were out of town or just needed a break, but I was getting to the point where I was ready for another foster. I went to DeKalb County Animal Services one afternoon with a few dogs in mind that I wanted to meet to take home for the night, of course I didn’t tell my boyfriend I was intending on finding a new foster. Fiona (Petunia at the time) was the first dog I decided to meet, she was in the back in a crate all by herself. All the other dogs were going crazy when I walked in, but she was just sitting there curiously staring at me. I took her out of her crate, and she waddled straight into my heart! Not much was known about her past, she was brought to a vet, sick and pregnant, and the owners never returned for her. The babies had to be emergently surgically removed and did not survive, and it appears that was definitely not her first litter. It is very apparent that she was not treated well in the past. I immediately knew we’d foster her, but had no idea that just 1 ½ weeks later I would adopt her!

What is your favorite pastime as a family? SNUGGLEFEST!!!

What is life like since you rescued Fiona? Fiona brings so much joy and love into our lives, more so every single day. Everyday when I come home and take her out of her crate she runs up to me and buries her head in my arms for a few minutes, it’s just the sweetest thing I’ve ever seen. She truly has a look on her face like everyday is the best she’s ever had. She’s made so many friends, does wonderfully in doggie day care, has learned how to swim, I could go on and on about her. Not only does she bring joy to us, but to many people we pass on the streets who constantly have to stop and meet her. She has helped remind me why we go through the pain of losing our furry companions, because there is nothing better then the precious time we have with them.

Photographers Note: As you can imagine, running this project I follow a lot of social media accounts of pit bull type dogs and rescues. About once or twice a week I "fall in love" with a dog that has been posted and is in need of a home. It's usually never a serious conversation as we have our hands full with our two but when I saw Fiona (fka Petunia) pop up on Facebook, the conversation got a little more serious. (at least I thought it did, my partner may not agree). When I saw that Joy had adopted her, I was of course happy but my next thought was I need her to be part of Shine A Light. Selfishly I wanted to meet her but also because she has a story to tell, one that will help others see her and dogs like her as the meaty little sweeties they are. Fiona (her Mom named her after the Baby Hippo from the Cincinnati Zoo, that gained some internet fame) was everything I expected and more! First of all she is a beautiful dog, with a very stoic expression. Her grumpy little face definitely masks the joy and happiness of this little girl. She was a little timid of me at first, after all she hadn't been with her Mom that long and here was this stranger wanting to fawn all over her. Joy brought a ball along to see if we could get her to play. After a few false starts, she really got the hang of it.....Joy was so happy as it was her first time playing fetch! She picked it up pretty quickly and was even bringing the ball back. Seeing the two of them together you would think they have been family for a long time; so when Joy was so excited with this new milestone I had forgotten it had only been 2 months since she adopted her. Seeing this strong bond between the two of them clearly told me she was meant to be in this family. The fact that I got to spend an hour taking her pictures and loving on her, was just a really fantastic bonus! The real prize was seeing Fiona in such a loving forever home!

Logan - 6/3/18

Name: Logan - approx. 4 y/o

Family Members - Alexis, Rich, Trinity (human sister, 6 y/o), Shara (kitten, approx. 8 weeks old)

How long has Logan been in the family? 1+ years

Professions: Alexis - Assistant Manager & contract writer, Rich is on long term disability due to injury

Location: Monroe, GA.

Nicknames: Derp, King Derpicus of Derpopolis, BuhBOY (said in Minion voice)

5 words/phrases that best describe Logan:

Lovable
Goofy
Protective
Derpy (obviously)
Loyal

What makes Logan unique? He has no sense of space, LOL! He will run right into and through you or door frames when playing, but he always comes back for more shenanigans. He’s also incredibly loyal and loves to stay with his mama, whether she is in the office working or in the basement painting. He’s a perfect companion, if a little gassy…

Rescue Story: We adopted Logan from the Athens Animal Shelter, where he had been an owner surrender. His previous owners actually checked on him frequently, they did not want to have to surrender him but circumstances were beyond their control. He was already crate trained and responded to commands, such as “kennel”, so they had been invested in training him before they had to give him up. (we think he might have been victim of or witnessed some abuse by a male, due to some behaviors we have noticed. Which may explain why the woman and her daughter who surrendered him (1) had to surrender him, and (2) consistently checked on him) We followed him on the website and found out he was on “the list” for the next day. We arranged for Rich to meet him, and he signed the paperwork that night. Trinity and I went to pick him up the next day. He was skittish and very unsure of what was going on, and a terrible car rider to boot! But he came home, and immediately perked up when Rich walked in the door! Finally, a familiar face! Ironically enough, he is now MY dog, as I worked from home last year and got to spend the most time with him. I had never had a dog before Logan, so this was all new to me!

What is your favorite pastime as a family? He’s a lounger, we love to snuggle, LOL! He loves to play with his stuffed babies and pull the squeakers out, so we often play tug of war with him. He loves it!

What is life like since you rescued Logan? He is the most incredible dog. I never imagined I would be a Dog Mom, but here I am. I cannot imagine our home without this 70+lb hunk of love and loyalty. He has put on weight since we got him (likely too much, but hey), and he responds very well to our commands. Even my daughter can tell him to go to his room and he obeys her. There is no doubt that he loves his family, and there is no doubt that we love him too. The best part is Logan knows we will never do anything to hurt him.

Photographers Note: When I arrived for the photo shoot Logan was snuggled up on their black leather couch, so he blended right in. He was very quiet when I came in, just observing and I could tell he needed a minute to get use to this new person in his house. So I chatted with the family and they told me stories about him and Trinity told me all about her kitten. Then we decided to head outside and it was a hot one. So there wasn't a lot of running around by Logan in his yard (who could blame him) but he definitely relaxed a bit. Even came over to sniff me and let me give him some pats, such a sweet, gentle boy.

Something pretty amazing about Logan's eyes that I only noticed when going through all the photos. His eyes are so dark (basically black) that they perfectly reflect the scene he is looking it. I was going to try and fix his eyes in editing and when I zoomed in imagine my surprise that I could see the sky and clouds. So what looks like a reflection from a flash is actually the sunny day reflecting back into this sweet boys eyes. Which also means those same eyes will always reflect back his wonderful forever family!

Charlie & Chance - 6/2/18

Name: Charlie (1 y/o) & Chance (5 mths old)

Family Members: Stephen & Ali, Isis & Kiki (cat siblings)

How long have Charlie & Chance been in the family? Charlie has been in the family 10 months & Chance 3 months

Professions: Ali - Event Manager at AmericasMart; Stephen - Project Engineer at Holder Construction

Location: Decatur, GA.

Nicknames: Charlie: Charles (when he's in trouble), Charlie Charlie Pumpkin Charlie, Charlie Brown

Chance: Bubby, Little Man

5 words/phrases that best describe Charlie & Chance:

Charlie:

Gentle
Attention Hog
Zoomies fanatic
Sweet
Power Chewer

Chance:

Vicious Pit Bull (sarcasm)
Feisty
Content
Smart
Cuddle Bug

What makes Charlie & Chance unique? Charlie is really the most friendly dog I have ever met. He loves everyone (dogs and humans) that he meets. Chance is very sneaky and feisty.

Rescue Stories: We found Charlie at Terrapin Brewery. We drove to Athens for a Friday night concert and decided to visit breweries the next day. It was #NationalDogDay so they were doing adoptions at the Brewery. We knew instantly that he was the one. We went back inside and took time to think about it to make sure we were making a smart decision; but it really wasn't difficult. He was ours. His mom had been found and was so emaciated that Animal Control didn't know she was pregnant for the first 2 days. Charlie was born at Animal Control and the shelter took him, his mom and his siblings the next day. We brought him home when he was right at 8 weeks. The next day, he started throwing up and was clearly not feeling good. I stayed up all night with him. He slept on my chest on the couch, when he could sleep and I was up with him every hour for him to potty. We took him straight to the vet the next morning and it was Parvo. We let the shelter know immediately and they were able to test, treat and save 2 of his siblings. We were back in Atlanta and the gentleman from the shelter drove almost 2 hours to pick him up, paid the vet bill, and then they took care of him for the next 2 weeks while he recovered. Getting him back was like the videos you see of soldiers coming home to their pets. He couldn't stop crying. He knew that we were his Mommy and Daddy. Now when he isn't feeling good, we know immediately because he comes to lay on my chest.

Chance was a puppy of the streets. He, his mom and a sibling were found but his mom and sibling escaped. The owner of the daycare we take Charlie to decided to foster Chance. They took him in, got him his shots, dewormer (he had hook worms) and tried to find him a family. What better place to find a family than a daycare with people who love their babies. They slowly introduced Chance to daycare parents and their dogs (the families who were interested in adopting him only). They told all the families who wanted him that they were going to let him choose. Needless to say, he immediately chose Charlie as his sibling. They clicked immediately and started kissing each other's faces. They were instant brothers. We had the weekend to think about it. 2 puppies is a lot of work. When I came back the next week, it was ultimately an easy decision to take him home. Watching him and Charlie play, we couldn't keep them apart.

Charlie heading back to his forever home, post Parvo!

What is your favorite pastime as a family? We love to take our babies everywhere with us. We only go to restaurants that have dog friendly patios, we go to Petco, Home Depot, really anywhere they are allowed. We even go to dog parks. I know this is usually a big no no for pitties but we believe that people will never learn if they don't see how good our dogs are. Because Chance is a puppy, people always approach and I tell them he's a pit bull. They always seem surprised and a little nervous but his personality and his puppy eyes draw them right back in and everyone loves him.

What is life like since you rescued Charlie & Chance? Stressful, crazy, expensive, but worth every minute of stress and every dime. Charlie has checked all the boxes (parvo, fleas, chicken allergy, giardia, etc.) but we wouldn't trade him for the world. It's been absolute chaos with 2 puppies under 1 year, but we love it. They have really tried our patience sometimes with the amount of things they eat, how much they've gotten sick, etc. but we love him and his brother so much. Bringing them into our family was one of the best decisions we've made. No one can resist Chance's eyes! They are the light of our life and everything we do revolves around both of them!

Photographers Note: It was so much fun photographing these two pups. I mean, yes a lot of my shots were just blurs because these two were on the move and seriously into their frisbee play time. Since I book these sessions back to back and have a back log of a month plus out, I don't often get a chance to read through all the stories before I do the photo shoots. With these guys, I completely missed the part that Chance was still a little puppy. Imagine my surprise and joy of course! The bow tie on him was so big, it was cracking me up. I will say for a 4 month old puppy, he was so well behaved and trained, they both were. Honestly you would never guess Charlie wasn't even a year old either at the time of the shoot. They were able to take off their leashes for the bow tie shot and they just both sat their beautifully. Such a wonderful family and can't wait to see how they both continue to change as they grow up!