Name/Age: Bali - She is supposedly 5, but you know how it is with rescues š
Family Members: Andrea & Jimmy plus Bali. We are a small family, but happy.
How long has Bali been in the family? ?: 2 years, as of February 25th of this year.
Profession: Andrea works in maternal and child health at the CDC. Jimmy is a chef at Alonās Bakery.
Location: Old Fourth Ward, Atlanta, GA
Nicknames: Baby Hippo, Princess, Princesa, Pollita, La Nina, Puerca (she has a lot of Spanish nicknames because we speak to her in Spanish a lot too)
5 words/phrases that best describe Bali?
Loyal
Goofy
Lazy
Snuggle Bug
Sweet
What makes Bali unique? Often when Bali comes back inside the house, one of us will hide. She will run around looking for us until she finds us. It is our own little version of hide and seek.
Look at that beautiful smile!
Rescue Story: In early 2017, Jimmy and I started talking about getting a dog. I knew I wanted a bigger breed, having grown up with a larger dog. Jimmy grew up with lots of dogs, including pit bulls and really wanted another pit. I started perusing shelters in Atlanta because I knew we wanted a rescue. I found āFlareā on the page for adoptions at PAWS (a no-kill shelter in Decatur.) I thought she was so cute and we decided to go, just to āmeet her.ā Little did we know that our lives were about to change forever. We showed up and said we wanted to meet Flare and the second she came out, all dirty and skinny, we knew that it was meant to be. She had been picked up by animal control a few months back and was recently post-partum, but the details of her story remain a mystery to this day. We didnāt even have dog food at our house but when they asked if we wanted to take her home that day, we enthusiastically said yes. As we drove home, Flare stuck her head out the window and smiled a big pit grin. We discussed changing her name, as she didnāt respond to Flare and it just didnāt seem to fit. We had recently been to Indonesia on vacation so when Jimmy suggested the name āBaliā, it sounded perfect. Once we got home, Bali sniffed around a bit and quickly jumped up on the couch, laid down and let out a deep sigh. She was home.
Forever Family!
What is your favorite pastime as a family? Baliās favorite past time is napping right next to one of us. Whether snuggled next to us on the couch or lounging in her dog bed below my desk, she is happiest when she is close to her parents. She also loves belly rubs and playing fetch with a tennis ball. On the weekends, the three of us love to go hiking and our favorite: family camping trips.
What is life like since you rescued Bali? Our lives are astronomically better since adopting Bali. We work different schedules so she provides the best company when one of us is home alone. All she wants is to love and be loved. There is nothing better than seeing her jump off the couch and wiggle her butt as she walks towards you to say hello when arriving home. Yes, we are āthat coupleā that is obsessed with their dog, but we fully embrace it. I am confident that Baliās life is also significantly better since we rescued her. She has put on several pounds (probably all the table scraps she gets from Jimmyās restaurant!) and lives a lazy life with two parents that would do anything for her.
Photographers Note: Andrea, Jimmy & Bali came to volunteer because a friend of mine happened to be pacing a running race on her bike and Bali was a spectator. She noticed Bali (cause I mean who wouldnāt), stopped and spoke to Andrea about my little project. Andrea emailed shortly after. (I have the most supportive friends). Turns out Andrea & Jimmy are all about changing perceptions as they co-own a small coffee company that offers organic, fair-trade coffee grown by women farmers in Honduras. From her email ā also trying to change the narrative about a beautiful country that has a terrible reputation, just like our beloved pits.ā (https://www.cafecelaque.com/)
We met up on a very warm evening but Bali was a trooper (so were her parents)! She was having blast watching the ducks and all the people in the park. I mean when you get to photograph a smile like hers, the heat really doesnāt seem to bother you much!