ATLANTA BEST MEDIA

Ozzie Albies: Athlete • Animal Advocate • Dog Dad

April 13, 2026
Wyndi Kappes
Categories: Meet Your Neighbors, My Vinings/Smyrna

Atlanta Braves second baseman Ozzie Albies brings an unmistakable joy, energy and spark to the game, the kind that lifts up his teammates and fuels big swings. It’s a spirit he carries off the field, where he’s always pulling for the underdog in more ways than one. A lifelong animal lover, Albies and his wife, Andreia, founded the Ozzie Albies Foundation in 2021 with a simple but powerful mission: to rescue and rehabilitate dogs with behavioral challenges—the ones too often overlooked, misunderstood and given up on.

Now, as the foundation approaches its five-year milestone and the 2026 Braves season gets underway, we sat down with Ozzie and Andreia to reflect on the journey so far and how they stay sane in a lively household filled with seven rescue pups (Puchi, Louie, Cinnamon, Kane, Bubbles, Max and Georgia) and more than 200 fish!

What inspired you to start the Foundation?

Ozzie Albies: I’ve always wanted to give back, and after the Braves won the World Series, I felt it was the right time to make it official. My wife, Andreia, and I created the Foundation to focus not just on rescuing dogs, but on truly rehabilitating them behaviorally. Most rescues don’t have the resources to offer that level of ongoing support, so we built the Best Chance Program
around daily training and emotional healing.

How do you balance baseball and rescue life?

OA: It’s tough—especially for Puchi, who’s obsessed with me—but I stay involved during the season, helping with decisions and checking in on the rescues. In the offseason, I am fully hands-on.

What’s your dream for the Foundation this year?

OA: Our biggest goal is to acquire land and build a shelter. Right now, we’re 100% foster-based, which means we can’t rescue dogs unless we have a foster ready. Having a physical shelter would allow us to take in dogs more freely, provide them with consistent love and structure and give them a safe place to wait for their forever family.

What is one of your favorite examples of the impact the Foundation has had?

Andreia and Ozzie Albies with Lockheed Elementary School Students.

OA: I recently surprised students at Lockheed Elementary School after they wrote me letters asking for recommendations for a class pet. Instead of simply replying, I showed up in person and set up a full fish tank for their classroom. I walked the students through proper fish care, answered their questions and helped them understand the responsibility that comes with caring for a pet. It was a meaningful way to encourage curiosity, responsibility and a love for animals within the local community.

Guide to Good Food: Good Kitchen + Market • Seed Kitchen & Bar • Sessions Stand

Places to Hang: Marietta Square • The Avenue East Cobb • The Battery Atlanta