Dr. Lili Castille
Dr. Lili Castille, an American psychologist and animal advocate, has felt attuned to animals since childhood, and has always striven to alleviate their suffering. She rescued scores of abused, neglected or illegally trafficked exotic or endangered animals and birds while living in Asia. She and her husband Lance co-founded the Republic of Georgia Dog Refuge (Geo Dog Refuge) to rescue, rehabilitate, and re-home abandoned animals in Georgia.
Dr. Lance Castille
Dr. Lance Castille, an American psychologist and consultant, has had years of experience caring for animals, including farm animals and pets. Having lived overseas for over three decades, he has observed the treatment of animals in different cultures. He supervises rehabilitation and socialization of the rescued dogs for their best possible future as companion dogs.
Alex Sani
Alex Sani, a company manager in Batumi, is a founding member and the caretaker of the ROG Dog Refuge compound. He has had a connection with animals since childhood, and has always been able to feel their pain and happiness. He feels animal energy is the best medicine, and says that if people love and care for all animals, that love will always be unconditionally returned. He has both dog and cat family members.
HOW IT ALL STARTED
Our dog rescue mission started when we were looking for a quiet corner of the world to retire in 2019. My husband Lance and I decided to settle in Batumi, Georgia, on the Black Sea.
When we moved into an apartment, there was a forlorn-looking, pregnant Labrador roaming the hallway up on our 14th floor. Neighbors told us her cold-hearted owner would not allow her inside, rarely took her for walks, and barely fed her. Sadly neglected, “Jolie” became our first rescue.
We kept “Lucy”, the runt of the litter the owner hadn’t given away because she looked different. In a few months, we started taking her and Jolie for walks.Bone-thin street dogs followed us in the park, begging for food. They looked desperate, so twice daily to distract them, I started feeding them while Lance walked our dogs in another direction. The winter weather and then pandemic restrictions left the street dogs without food from tourists. We then decided to rent a property to accommodate more dogs, and rescued as many as we could. Our pack of rescues increased and we have continued to expand our operation over the last 4 years on our own.
Due to the drastic increase in abandoned dogs since the war began, we need to expand our accommodations and services to rescue and care for more animals in desperate need. Your support will help us save countless more lives.