Instagram story viewer> @lizv_r> Tagged

Liz VanderWyden Raffa

@lizv_r

447

followers

1986

following

MIA ☀️ ➝ ATL 🍑
Doing life a little differently ✨
Dogs, rescue & animal adventures 🐾 @atlanta_save_them_all
Probably stopping to pet your dog
Fun!

POSTS STORIES REELS TAGGED

Same cat. Different circumstances. A second chance changed everything.

I recently came across Ocho Cinco’s original intake photo from DeKalb County Animal Services, taken shortly after I found him injured on the side of I-85.

Looking at that first picture compared to the two that followed really got me thinking.

Shelters can be scary and overwhelming places for animals. They’re surrounded by unfamiliar sounds, smells, people, and other animals. Some shut down. Some hide. Some are simply terrified.

And sometimes, the animal you meet in a shelter is nothing like the animal they can become once they feel safe.

Ocho’s transformation is a perfect example. The scared, injured cat in that first picture is now healthy, happy, loved, and thriving. He knows he’s safe, and it shows.

Sometimes all an animal needs is a chance, a little patience, and someone willing to see beyond their fear.

So the next time you visit a shelter, don’t overlook the scared or quiet ones. You might be looking at an incredible companion who just hasn’t had the opportunity to blossom yet.

Every animal deserves that chance.

#adoptdontshop #shelteranimals #secondchances #rescuesaveslives #dekalbcountyanimalservices

34

5

MEET OTTO! OUR HANDSOME FOSTER IS READY FOR HIS FOREVER HOME! 💙

For the past month, we’ve been fostering Otto, a beautiful 7-year-old, 80-pound German Shepherd who appears to be purebred. Originally from DeKalb County Animal Services, he was rescued by Southern Cross German Shepherd Rescue.

We wanted to give Otto time to settle in before helping him find his forever family. Now that we’ve gotten to know him, here’s what we’ve learned!

What we love about Otto:

* Incredibly chill, sweet, and affectionate. I haven’t heard him bark or whine once!
* Completely housebroken and a great eater.
* Takes treats gently and knows sit, paw, down, and stay. Someone clearly spent time training him!
* Loves attention and being around people.
* Absolutely LOVES running around our backyard!

A few things to know:

Otto has some mobility challenges. He drags his front feet, especially on pavement and hard surfaces. We had him genetically tested for degenerative myelopathy (DM), and the result was negative. While encouraging, we don’t yet know the cause of his mobility issues.

He does great on grass and carpet but struggles with slippery floors. His ideal home would have minimal stairs and carpeting or area rugs to help him get around.

Short walks are best, but a fenced backyard where he can run and play would be wonderful!

Other pets and children:

We haven’t introduced him directly to our dogs or cats, but he’s shown no reactivity toward dogs on walks. He does love chasing squirrels and chipmunks, so cat introductions should be slow.

He’s also been calm around neighborhood children while on leash, although we haven’t tested direct interactions.

Could Otto be your perfect match?

If you love German Shepherds but aren’t looking for a high-energy dog requiring miles of daily walks, Otto could be your guy!

He’s smart, gentle, affectionate, and just wants a comfortable home and someone to love.

Interested in meeting Otto? Please reach out to me!

And please share! His forever family might be just one share away.

#atlantasavethemall #germanshepherdrescue #adoptdontshop #atlantadogs #germanshepherd

42

4

💙Meet Otto💙
A gentle, laid-back GSD looking for a loving home to spend his golden years.

I’ve had the pleasure of fostering Otto for almost a month, and he really is a special guy. At approximately 7 years old and 80+ pounds, he’s a big, handsome sweetheart who just wants to be near his people.

Otto is incredibly calm, quiet and affectionate. In the month I’ve had him, I haven’t heard him bark or whine once! He’s perfectly happy hanging out with his humans, relaxing in the backyard and occasionally chasing a squirrel or two.

Here’s what you should know about Otto:

Otto has some mobility challenges with his back legs. He struggles on hard, slippery floors and sometimes drags his feet when walking. But don’t let that fool you. He still wants to get out and explore! We take short walks and try to keep him on the grass, where he does much much better.

He also does great on carpet, so his ideal home would have carpeting or someone willing to put down runners to help him navigate safely. A home without a lot of stairs would be best.

Otto seems interested in other dogs and has shown no concerning behavior toward them from a distance. We haven’t introduced him to other dogs up close, but his shelter notes indicate he did well in playgroups.

He has met our neighbor’s young boys and although he was on a leash, he seemed calm around them.

If you’ve always wanted a GSD but don’t want the high exercise demands that typically come with the breed, Otto might be your perfect match.

He doesn’t need long hikes, runs or hours of physical activity. But he’s still a GSD, and that intelligent mind needs mental stimulation.

What Otto wants most is simple: a comfortable place to rest, a backyard to enjoy, and people to love.

He’s not looking for an adventurous life. He’s looking for a peaceful one, with a family who will love him exactly as he is.

Please help me find this wonderful boy the home he deserves. If you think Otto might be a fit, send me a message. And even if you can’t adopt, sharing his story could help him find his person.

#atlantasavesthemall #germanshepherdrescue #germanshepherd #adoptdontshop

28

5

Mizuna had been waiting at @dekalbanimals since August, and last week she landed on the urgent list. So many people advocated, shared and fought to get this scared, shy girl seen but she had one very special employee inside the shelter who truly became her advocate and made sure she wasn’t overlooked.

And today, Mizuna finally left the shelter.

The @themagnoliaprojectofsc in South Carolina stepped up to pull her, and a lovely foster opened her home to give her a safe place to decompress while she waits for her forever family.

She was scared when I picked her up, but somewhere along the ride, I heard it- that sigh. That deep sigh of relief that anyone who has fostered or adopted a shelter dog knows. The moment they finally exhale because, somehow, they know they’re safe.

No more kennel. No more waiting. Her next chapter has begun.

The rescue is now calling her Miso, so if you’re interested in adopting this sweet girl, look for Miso through The Magnolia Project Rescue in South Carolina.

Sometimes it takes a whole chain of people to save one dog. Advocates, shelter staff, rescues, fosters, transporters and everyone who shares. Today, that chain saved Mizuna / Miso.

#fosterdog #rescuedog #shelterdog #lifelineanimalproject

48

3

Want a German Shepherd without all the German Shepherd energy? Meet Otto. 🤎

Otto is a 7-year-old gentleman looking for his forever home. He knows sit, stay and down — and I’m pretty sure there are a few more tricks hiding in there.

He’s low-energy, incredibly sweet, and happiest just being near his people. He doesn’t need long runs or hours of exercise. He’d be perfect for a chill family or someone who has always wanted a GSD but wants more of a couch companion than an adventure buddy.

Otto does have arthritis and weakness in his back legs, so a home with carpet or runners to help him get around comfortably would be ideal.

He was dog-friendly at the shelter, although we haven’t introduced him to our dogs yet. His history with cats and children is unknown.

Mostly, Otto just wants to belong. He loves being with us, soaking up attention and being part of whatever we’re doing. Now he just needs someone to give him the forever part.

Please share Otto — his person might be one share away. He’s safe with us but know he’d love a forever family.

#fosterdog #adoptotto #germanshepherd #germanshepherdrescue

25

6

Bright and early this morning, Silva and I took our last little ride together. I dropped him off with his transport team, who is now driving him to his FOREVER HOME. ❤️

Saying goodbye was harder than I expected. I think we were both a little sad to leave each other, but knowing where he’s headed makes it all worth it.

Just days ago, Silva was on the urgent list. Today, he’s on his way to a family who chose him, loves him already, and gets to call him theirs forever.

Safe travels, sweet boy. I’m going to miss that face, but this is exactly the goodbye we were hoping for. Go live your best life, Silva. You deserve every bit of it.

#dekalbanimalservices #adoptdontshop #rescuedog #shelterdog #atlantasavethemall

75

11

This crazy dog lady was out of the house at 5:36 AM to transport this sweet little dog from his short-term foster to his long-range transport. Good luck in Hingham MA little Silva.

11

2

Kass is SAFE.

Just days ago, Kass was on the urgent list @dekalbanimals waiting and hoping someone would see her.

And someone did!! They saw Kass and knew she needed to be part of their family.

Today I had them great job of picking this sweet girl up from the shelter. We spent the afternoon together, and then I drove her to her temporary foster, where she’ll stay until she heads out of state later this week to begin her new life.

This is why we share. This is why every post, story, tag and repost matters. You truly never know who is going to see a dog and fall in love.

From the urgent list to a freedom ride to a family waiting for her. Kass, you made it. Happy life sweet girl.

#adoptdontshop #shelterdog #dekalbcountyanimalservices #lifelineanimalproject #rescue

42

2

I met Mahala today and oh my goodness… this girl is a TOTAL LOVE BUG.

Mahala is 4 years old, 44 pounds, and basically the perfect little snuggle-sized package. She is sweet, affectionate and an absolute cuddle queen—the kind of dog who just wants to be close to her people.

She walks beautifully on leash, has a positive history with kids, is crate trained, and has that wonderful low-to-medium energy where she’s happy to go for a stroll and then curl up beside you for a nap or pup cup!

And somehow, this sweet girl has been waiting at LifeLine since June. She deserves to be spending her days sunbathing on someone’s porch and her nights snuggled up next to her person—not waiting in a shelter.

If you’re looking for a sweet, easygoing, ridiculously cuddly best friend, please go meet Mahala. I have a feeling someone is going to fall very hard for this girl.

Mahala is currently at LifeLine Community Animal Center - go meet her!

Please share, tag a friend, or come meet her. Sometimes one share is all it takes to get the right person to see her. ❤️

https://lifelineanimal.org/pet-details/?aid=54525229&cid=97&tid=Dog

#AtlantaDogs #AdoptAtlanta #LifeLineAnimalProject #AtlantaSaveThemAll

17

1

Did you know?

LifeLine Animal Project’s Dog for the Day program gives shelter dogs something they desperately need: a break from the kennel and a chance to show the world who they really are.

Take a dog for a hike, a walk around the neighborhood, a pup cup, a car ride, or even just an afternoon relaxing somewhere quiet. You give them a chance to decompress, have fun and experience life outside the shelter.

But here’s the really important part: you help people SEE them.

The photos, videos and little things you learn about them — loves car rides, walks beautifully on leash, gives the best kisses, great adventure buddy — can help that dog stand out to a potential foster or adopter. Sometimes that one post gets shared to exactly the right person.

You can simply give a shelter dog one really great day — and that day might just help them find their forever home.

If you’re in Atlanta and looking for an easy way to make a very real difference for a shelter dog, Dog for the Day is such a great place to start.

Take them out.
Show off their personality.
Share their story.
Help them get seen.

Because sometimes getting out of the shelter is the first step toward getting out for good. ❤️

#LifeLineAnimalProject #DogForTheDay #AtlantaDogs #AdoptAtlanta #fosteratlanta

34

6

🚨 MEET ENTRÉE — YOUR NEW FAVORITE GIRL 🐾💕

Entrée is serving up the FULL package: sweet, playful, cuddly, and always ready to soak up ALL the attention. 🥹❤️

She’s the kind of girl who will happily play with you and then curl right up for cuddles when the fun is over. Basically… best friend material.

Entrée is waiting at DeKalb County Animal Services for someone to look at that adorable face and say, “Yep. You’re coming home with me.” I wanted to!

Please SHARE, TAG A FRIEND, FOSTER, OR ADOPT — every share gets her closer to the person she’s waiting for.

🍽️ Entrée
📍 DeKalb County Animal Services
🏡 Looking for her forever home

Come meet her before she is scooped up!

https://lifelineanimal.org/pet-details/?aid=60960477&cid=97&tid=Dog

#AdoptEntree #AdoptDontShop #AtlantaDogs #RescueDog #AtlantaSaveThemAll

30

0

🟡 PACMAN GOT HIS EXTRA LIFE. ❤️🐾

Last week, Pacman was on the euthanasia list @dekalbanimals . His time was running out, and all he needed was someone to give him the power-up that would change everything.

And someone did. 🥹

Yesterday, I got to be a tiny part of his freedom story — picking him up from @dekalbanimals and helping transport him toward the next chapter of his life. From a kennel and an uncertain future… to a freedom ride and a chance at FOREVER LOVE

This is why we share them.
This is why we advocate for them.
This is why fostering, adopting, and volunteering matter.

Because sometimes one share and one person saying “I’ll help” is literally the difference between a life ending and a whole new one beginning.

Pacman beat the clock.
Your best level starts now. ❤️

And to everyone who helped make his extra life possible — thank you.

#AtlantaSaveThemAll #RescueDogs #FosterSavesLives #FreedomRide #adoptdontshop

68

15