12/01/2025
Amy Radar is one of those women made of steel. Foster mom, dog behaviorist, animal advocate, point person when everything is on fire – she is in it on all fronts, all the time, and somehow makes it look easy. Most folks know her name from Trooper and Trooper’s Law, and from her work with Leon County’s animal shelter and Animal Services. But that’s not the whole story. Did y’all know Amy is also out here quietly holding up the rescue community too? She’s a huge part of the Valhalla Rescue pack and always will be. She’s temperament tested dogs for us, she’s helped us problem-solve tough cases, and she’s the one who connected us with the best trainer we’ve ever had – the trainer who is helping our dogs not just survive, but actually thrive. I call Amy at least once a week. She always picks up, always has a creative solution or something helpful to say, and if she doesn’t know the answer, it’s “Hold on, Curtis, let me call you right back, I’m gonna find out.” That’s who she is. When every system feels like it’s saying no, Amy is the person who still finds a way to make it work and make it happen for the dog in front of her. Amy doesn’t just talk animal welfare, she does it. She temperament tests the tough dogs, coaches fosters, helps match the right trainers to the right dogs, and when everything feels impossible, she is still the person who finds a way to make it work and make it happen. In her interview, she says it clearly: Trooper’s Law is a start, not the finish line. We still need stronger laws, real enforcement, and better systems for the animals who never make the news – and with people like Amy on the front lines, in the kennels, on the phone, in the meetings, and in the trenches with rescues like Valhalla, we know those next steps are possible. Amy, from all of us at Valhalla Rescue, thank you.
You are family, you are a cornerstone of this work, and we are so damn grateful for you.
Amy Raddar has fostered 1,000+ dogs over the past two decades, helping inspire "Trooper's Law" after caring for a dog abandoned during a hurricane. The law makes leaving pets in disasters a felony.
